Bleach Thy Soul
by Spades231
Summary: Kurosaki Ichigo wants nothing more than to be an average boy in the aftermath of his mother's death. But fate ruins his plans of a peaceful life as he's thrusted into the world of the supernatural. [AU-ish story]
1. Hello Deathberry?

**A/N: Before we, by which I mean you, get any further into this story of youthful drama and adventure just know that this story wouldn't exist, or at least wouldn't be coming to the light of day for a very long time, without the incredible series Sealkeeper: He Who Binds; by Syynistyre and the also amazing Bright Orange by Thephantomprince. Both of these are amazingly done Naruto stories that stand out as beacons of hope to FanFiction writers everywhere who hope to do justice to the works that inspired them. Please, give them a read!**

 **-0-**

A tick mark was quickly growing on his forehead, a black cat had crossed his path and because of his willingness to follow stupid superstition he quickly rounded a corner to barrel down the street and cut it off. He checked his watch and groaned, it was already way past first bell and bothering to head there now would just land him in hot water with their sensei. He halted, not through his own mean however, as his face had a very close meeting with the wooden boards resting against a small building.

The clatter and rattling grated his ears as his cupped his reddening face and kicked at the dirt. His sneaker dragging harshly across the smooth ground and his stinging smack slowly cooling with the air flow seeping through his hands reached his red face.

"Meow…?"

Ichigo stopped his writhing to peek through his fingers and spy the black as midnight feline staring at him while sitting on its haunches. His hazel eyes narrowed as his lips came together to form a thin frown.

"Oh? You think that's so funny don't you? Well guess what…?" Ichigo turned himself over and lifted his rear into the air to keep his hands and feet flat against the ground, perfect position for pouncing, "well guess what you dumb cat…" Ichigo threw himself forward into a dive to hopefully scoop the little cat into his arms, all the while screaming at the top of his lungs.

"NO ONE MESSES WITH KUROSAKI ICHI-"

His dive missed terribly and the horrible skidding friction tore his palms to hell and back again causing his proud proclamation to drop into a pathetic whimper and near yelp.

His writhing began a new as he started rolling back in forth while blowing cool air into his scratched palms.

The black cat tilted its head and it's right ear proceeded to twitch, and just as quickly it began to screech as a broom landed on its back. It burst forward and past Ichigo but just as it reached the sidewalk it turned and something in its green slitted eyes seemed to claim vengeance.

Ichigo once again calmed himself long enough to see his target escape at an increased pace and resigned himself to deal with whatever bad luck fate deemed him worthy of for today.

"Hey you okay there kid?" asked a tired sounding voice from behind him and quickly Ichigo turned to face a man with bleach blonde hair in a green jinbei with a darker green haori with a white diamond pattern around the hem.

Ichigo turned his head slightly at the embarrassment that was quickly consuming him, "Ugh, yeah! I was...just trying to catch that cat since it crossed my, er, some girls path and it got away before she could do anything." His hasty explanation almost ousted him as a overly superstitious nut case with a thing against cats or possibly an obsession with them.

Ichigo slowly watched the man lean the bright pink broom against the building and pick up his cane before walking over to the small orange haired boy. The whole walk Ichigo couldn't help but feel bad about knocking over all those boards now…

In fact he was so absorbed that he failed to notice the blonde man taking his hands in his own and examining the scrapes.

"I can bandage these up for you if you want." The blonde man offered and Ichigo nearly sputtered. There was no way he could ask anything of the man walking with a cane. The man noticing Ichigo's line of sight turned his head to the turned over and knocked about boards and and smiled, "Oh, is that it? Don't worry about it my assistant can get those picked up while I bandage up your hands."

Ichigo rose an eyebrow at that claim before seeing a muscular dark skinned man with round sunglasses step out of the small shop with a brown leather apron and quickly go to work straightening the knocked down planks.

Ichigo, now with slightly less guilt, shrugged and opted to follow the blonde man into what now appeared to be a shop of sorts. Ichigo became entranced at the sights, a small counter sat right by the entrance and four rows of shelves were present across from that with a screen door acting as a backdrop or furthest wall from the door. The first shelf was an eye catcher if ever he saw one with manga tankobon and the rest of it filled with brightly wrapped candy.

Ichigo wiped at a spot of drool at the corner of his mouth before slowly following behind the blonde man, passed the sliding door and toward small room with a table and four cushions to sit upon.

Ichigo let his autopilot take over and he continued to take in the shop before a chord snap and a horrifying thought came into place. He was sitting here, skipping school, without anybody even the slightest bit aware of just where he had gone and stored himself and was now within the home of a stranger who owned a candy shop…

His train of thought derailed and crashed hard as the antiseptic spray met his palms. Ichigo hissed and tried to pull his hand back to nurse it but it was held tightly in the grip of the blonde man.

"Sorry about that, you seemed so lost in thought I assumed it wouldn't hurt as much," he chuckled to himself.

Ichigo very nearly blew up at him for that but caught it just as a well timed guilt pang struck him. He knocked over those boards and made more work for that assistant guy, and now this store owner was treating his scuffed hands. His orange mess of hair ruffled as he looked down.

"Y-yeah, as if it hurt…" he spoke with false bravado trying to ignore that irritable feeling in his gut.

The blonde man quickly finished wrapping the bandages around the boys hand and smiled, "There, done. Now you should probably stop hanging around mysterious store owners and head to school."

Ichigo failed at hiding his embarrassed stammering and quickly stood before bowing to the man, "Thanks Mr. Hat-and-clogs!" He called out as he ran out of the building and toward Karakura Middle School.

"Hey Kurosaki-chan!" Mr. Hat-and-clogs called after the ginger haired boy that stopped and turned. A small golden orange wrapped candy flew threw the air and smacked his forehead before falling into his hand, "the first ones on the house."

Ichigo beamed for short second before returning to his running out of the small store and toward school.

Tessai came in shortly after the young Kurosaki Ichigo ran out of the house and looked at his old and trusted friend, "Was it wise to simply let him leave? Should we not have run some test on how the Hollow Suppression Barrier is holding up, Kisuke-dono?"

Kisuke chuckled for second before retrieving a fan from his jinbei pocket and covering his smile.

"And what do you think our good friend Yoruichi was up to this pleasant morning?" Kisuke questioned, and as if it on que a black cat dropped from the ceiling and into the table before exploding into a cloud of mist.

Tessai turned and faced the wall as he heard the table shone and shift under the increased weight, he dared to peek and his spine shivered and his knees grew weak at the mere sight of the Shihouin clan heads exposed skin. He couldn't do it and crumbled to the floor with despair at his weakness.

Yoruichi ignores the agonized shop attendant and continued to press Kisuke's face deeper into the ground.

"Youruueechee! Your home!" Kisuke muttered out as her tense knuckles continued to press into his cheek.

"Don't give me any of that crap Kisuke! You hit me with a broom!" She practically roared. Her thighs pressed tightly against his abdomen with his left arm caught under her knee and the other in her right arms grip.

"Only to gain Kurosaki-chan's trust! You don't believe I'd actually whack you for fun do you?" He asked in mock hurt before recoiling as her knuckles pressed harder against his face.

"As if, I bet you only did that cuz you knew I wouldn't pounce on you right then and there."

The two shared a heated stare before Kisuke slowly began to deflate, the head Shihouin gasped and turned to the doorway before a bundle of clothes smacked her in the face.

"Put those on would you, your modesty is distracting poor little Tessai."

Yoruichi sneered before slipping on the bright purple yukata and tying the bright orange obi around her waist. She followed slowly behind the blond man into his office where a desk was placed against the furthest wall with papers and notebooks scattered all over it, resting against the wall was an asauchi, the poor thing was just a husk waiting for some up and coming Shinigami to start pumping reiatsu into it. Her attention turned to the whiteboard Kisuke was drawing a large circle into with the hiragana scribed across the top and bottom for 'sight' and 'within'.

"So do you think chasing me around actually did anything to get a rise out of the kids soul?"

Kisuke capped the pink marker in his hands and set it down and with a soft snap of his fingers the image on the board began to change. Quickly it displayed a small ball of blue fire with a red hue around it and a dark shadow beneath it. Kisuke brought up a hand to cup his chin and tilted his head to both sides for a moment.

"Peculiar. I would have thought that the suppression seal would have lasted for far longer than this." Kisuke turned away from the board, the image still up and fluctuating, to begin rummaging through his notes. He pulled up a vanilla folder with a strawberry sticker on it and quickly started flipping through it. He made several walkthroughs before pulling out a spreadsheet and throwing the rest of the folder over his shoulder and returned to the board where the red hue had slightly encroached on the blue flame and shadow beneath it seemed slightly darker. His bucket had produced a dark border that shrouded his eyes as the sheet slipped from his fingers.

Yoruichi looked to her long time friend in concern, her hand twitched as she considered bringing it up to squeeze his shoulder as a sign of comfort. Before he threw back his head and laughed. Now she considered punching him in the throat for making her worry. Kisuke gave her a long look before sighing.

"It looks as though our barrier has become rather flimsy over the years…"

Tessai stepped passed the door way in that moment with the land-line in hand and the phone up to his ear, "Should I contact Hachigen-sama?"

Kisuke crosses his arms before glancing over his shoulder and at the asauchi resting against the wall of his office before turning back and smiling at Tessai.

"No, not Hachi-kun...but you should call up Isshin-san I may have words for him…"

 **-0-**

Ichigo ran up the steps skipping two even three at a time before reaching the right level...just in time for third period to end.

With a disgruntled sigh he rested against the hairs tail of the steps and caught his breath, he looked up and saw that his third period teacher wasn't here today and had a substitute in his place. He sucked his teeth realizing he missed out on the chance to avoid spending a class period without Masako-sensei. Waving away the thought he approached his classroom and stepped through the threshold and instantly the classes murmuring stopped dead, and all eyes were on him. Ichigo rose an eyebrow and as if all at once it came crashing down around him.

His hands were wrapped in bandages, his uniform was dirty and scuffed, his hair was mess, he had a thin sheen of sweat covering him and his face was still contorted into the scowl he had while he chastised himself for being absent.

A tick mark quickly formed on his forehead as he huffed and stomped over to his desk. It was the desk furthest to the right in the front row, it was in between two windows which meant most of the time the sun was blocked from him which allowed him to take short naps between classes.

He sat down and crossed his arms over the table before resting his temple against his forearm.

He grumbled and stewed for a minute before he began to reason to himself.

'Who cares what they think. So what if I look like a punk, they better leave me alone or else!'

' _We care don't we?'_

Ichigo snapped up faster than a bat oughta hell and looked around, all the kids that had returned to murmuring froze and stared at him. His hazel eyes twitched erratically as suddenly he got the feeling like his skin was going to crawl off, and without thinking about i this chair felt like it stabbing into his back. He pushed back and into the desk behind him making the boy there, Asano Keigo, squeal in fear and jerk out of his seat at suddenly being bumped.

Ichigo stood rimrod straight and heard that echo of his voice again, but it was different it was closer, it felt too close! Like somebody whispering into his ear, there hotbreath filling the canal and the words stabbing his eardrum and ensnaring his brain. He looked at the spooked Asano Keigo before seeing the surprised and scared and expectant eyes that wouldn't leave him, so he decided to leave. His bag still on the desk, ignoring that little bit of trivia he fumbled out into the hall and rushed down the crowded passage before pushing past some girls and into the boys restroom. He felt cold under the fluorescent lights and the smell of bleach was burning his nose. Pushing off one of the stalls and carefully placing both hands down on the sink counter he stared at his reflection. It was him, obviously, his hazel eyes, his ginger hair, but at the same time the image he stared at felt so...hollow.

His stomach began churning and he regretted snagging that extra bit of toast this morning as he got the irritable feeling that it wouldn't be staying in his stomach much longer. The ceiling lights began to flicker as his breathing started picking up and suddenly the light furthest to the his right went out, leaving the medium sized school restroom half lit and the remaining flickering light above him gave Ichigo a feeling of dread. His wobbly knees kept him from leaving the room for the moment but like it or not he wouldn't be able to spend all of fourth period in here, they already thought he was a punk...wouldn't want them to think he was a druggie too.

' _Do we care what they think!?_ '

Ichigo gasped at hearing the voice again and clutched his ears as the grating ringing returned, his eyes looked up and found his reflection but he froze. Standing there in the mirror wasn't the image of a ginger haired ten year old clutching his ears while bent over and looking like he was about to puke… No, in the mirror stood a ghostly pale version of himself with golden eyes resting upon a sea of darkness his white hair and a chilling smile that added to his relaxed shoulders.

Ichigo twitched for a second more before throwing himself back and out the bathroom, the crowds were lessened but the large gaggle of kids still remained littering the hall stared at him like he'd grown a second head. Ichigo stared at their curious eyes and shook his head until he felt better. He took two breaths and pushed the door open, the bathroom was back to normal.

He let the door swing closed and ran a shaky hand through his hair before beginning a slow walk back to class, his conclusion? To ignore whatever the hell that just was.

 **-0-**

His fingers wrapped tightly around the bag, and then they loosely unwound themselves. His eyes were closed and he was taking long breaths in through his nose and short breath out through his mouth.

"Meow…?" The familiar black cat from earlier purred with its head tilted to one side.

Ichigo opened his eyes and stared at the thing, that was the cause of his recurring rage. After the day worth of class he just had all he wanted to do was get home and drop onto bed and pretend like it was just a dream, but of course he'd run into the source of all his bad juju not five steps out of school.

He sighed and looked at the bag in his hand and then back at the cat that was casually staring at him. He looked behind him to the field of layered brick that led into the school that was still spewing out kids even after ten minutes before back that the cat that he swore was smiling.

' _Just get the damn cat already!_ '

He nearly bent over in pain when he heard the voice but it sounded so compelling he chose to continue ignoring it.

Well, Ichigo after a day like today decided to run after the cat, with any luck he catch isn't and...well he hadn't thought that far ahead yet but he knew he was gonna catch that stupid cat!

As the ginger haired boy ran away from the school and after the feline, another boy had seen this and fearing the worst for the small cat decided follow.

And so the strange conga line was made! A black stray cat followed suit by an angry ginger, and then behind him an average looking brunette. The line continued at full sprint speed for all of three minutes until the cat rounded a corner with Ichigo following suit. Only the cat harmlessly ran through the legs of a man wearing a green jinbei. While Ichigo ran forehead first into the plastic cap at the end of his cane with all his momentum and after making a sound not unlike the distant clap of thunder inside his ear canal, and giving his whole body a numb feeling, causing him to buckle and roll forward and to a eventual stop.

"Ah! K-K-Kurosaki-san!"

Ichigo rose his head and turned at the panic cry and froze. Mr. Hat-and-clogs was standing over his limp body with his cane extended and a casual stance conveying nothing, then he heard the low growl behind him and turned to see the cat he was chasing frowning.

"Dammit Kisuke…" it growled out and Ichigo was stupefied.

"Did...did that kitty-cat just talk?!" Keigo flipped and fell backward onto his rear before a large oni-bat came down on his head and his soul came rolling out of his body with a chain attached to his chest that rattled all the way. Unlike the separation of Ichigo's soul.

Kisuke breathed a sigh of relief before pulling out a fan and shrouding his mouth, "Good job Jinta, now let's get Kurosaki-chan back to the shop, and will bring his little stalker along for free!"

Ichigo shook himself free of his stupor and looked at the passed out...Keigo Asano's...as in plural…

Then again, there were two of him, even if one of them was immobile and lying awkwardly at the feet of a blonde creeper with a red dot on his forehead.

The cat circled him for a second before he swore he heard a chuckle and a golden rope wound itself around his body and made it feel like his spine had been replaced by a led bar. Jinta picked up the body of Keigo, the physical one, while Mr. Hat-and-clogs picked up Ichigo, the physical one, and the cat sat upon the gingers head. They all shared a look before Kisuke produced a small paper tag from his haori pocket and crumbled it in his hand. In a bright flash the group was consumed in light and Ichigo had to keep blinking because he didn't understand what the hell just happened. The alley they had just been squatting in had vanished in the all encompassing white and yellow light and in its place he found himself, still being used as a cat's personal armchair, while in the middle of a barren field. Ichigo felt his lungs start begging for air as he soon realized he had been holding his breath. Ichigo felt a set a firm finger grab his chin and tilt his head up. Kisuke was smiling down at him with the same honest smile from earlier today.

A soft pop happened behind him and his eyes moved the the corner of his sockets as if on autopilot to find the muscular shop attendant had arrived with twin katanas strapped to his back, and twin satchel over his shoulders, and twin...well you get the idea. He slowly began dropping off the twin sets of item off before producing a large hand hatchet from seemingly nowhere. Ichigo was back to square one as now his lungs refused to take in any air. His hands shook violently as the imposing figure with the axe slowly approached.

"A-a-a-a-a-a-Ah! P-p-please! I don't wanna die!" came the helpless cry to Ichigo's right which brought his attention back to Keigo. The helpless ten year old with a chain sticking out of his chest was squirming and snotting himself up as the large man slowly approached.

Ichigo felt his jaw unhinge and the words began to vomit themselves out.

"L-Leave him alone! He doesn't deserve this!"

Tessai stopped for a second and turned his head a half a millimeter to let the suns heavy rays bounce off his round rim glasses and into the ginger boys eyes. Irritatingly Ichigo flinched and looked down at the ground in shame. Tessai brought the axe up and rested the rim of the eye against his shoulder.

"Tell me Kurosaki-san, do you know what is currently happening?" the man asked, and everyone, the two scared children not included, seemed shocked that Tessai would speak up at this.

Ichigo rose his head and looked back over to the still crying Keigo and back at his captors, "Y-you sick bastards are gonna kill us…?"

Kisuke actually chuckled, and the cat on his head sighed while Jinta scoffed and Tessai grunted. They all seemed irritated by the answer but reacted in much different ways. Almost like they all had personality.

"No, Kurosaki-san, we are going to save your life," Tessai said before taking three long strides forward and slamming the axe down atop the chain severing Keigo's connection to his other self…

Ichigo let his mouth drop open as he came a conclusion, "A-are we ghost!?"

The cat upon his head couldn't help but let out a healthy chortle while stomping its paw down on the orange crown he called his head. Ichigo grew flustered at the sudden fit of laughter to the point that he had began ignoring Keigo's panicked murmurings. In fact he was so flustered that for the first time since being bounded he decided to struggle against the binds. Bad idea as it turns out since they just constricted around him a little tighter than before. The group of captors distanced themselves from the bound and panicking kids before the cat brought up its paw and passed its tongue over the center most digits. The golden bindings burst and faded away.

"Alright, time to lay out some conditions and ground rules. Kurosaki-chan, as you may have failed to notice, unlike your stalker, you do not have a chain and instead were simply a soul inhabiting a shell," Kisuke covered his mouth with his folding fan once more, "that means your in for an easier time, however stalker-chan does have a soul chain, which means if he fails to remain in control the chain will consume itself and turn him into a hollow."

Keigo pushed up from the ground and looked at the two meters of chain he had and nearly vomited at the sight of the multiple mouths on the end of one of the links consuming themselves.

"You'll have roughly three to five days to reach the entrance to this room, if you fail to do so you'll run out of supplies and likely die in here. Also in that time stalker-chan must overcome himself and prevent the chains from consuming him."

Ichigo stood there, rather he laid there, flabbergasted. In what world, in what dimension, in what perception of reality, did this have anything to do with saving someone, how was any of this moral to these idiotic bastards! He wanted to rip out his hair if only to lighten the burden on his head.

Kisuke produced another paper tag from his jinbei sleeve and after crumbling it and being consumed in a bright yellow light the four were gone.

 **-0-**

 **A/N: And there chapter one. Hopefully I didn't give away too much between the lines, and even more hopefully my writing didn't make any of you want to 'Bleach' your brains...not funny? Eh, whatever, I'll work on it.**

 **Anyway, as of posting this, chapter 2 is about 73% done and should be out before the end of December, which my goal is to update all my currently active stories at least one more time before I vanish into the void that is my home country that I'll be visiting for most of January, but after that things should hopefully be calm and steady enough for me to get updates out for all my stories again. Make no mistake I plan on working on these stories while I'm there, but posting them will be near impossible until I get back.**

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	2. Into the Fray!

His ginger hair swayed in the displaced wind as group vanished in a flash, Ichigo out a hand to his abdomen as he felt something begin to well up from within him. This had all started out so normally for him, he chased a cat to ward off bad luck, then he was drilled by pain enduring voices that mimicked his own, and finally he was kidnapped and left for dead alongside a classmate he barely talked to! What the hell!

He threw back his head and his jaw unhinged and as he shouted. And shouted. And shouted some more. In fact he just shouted until he was so red in the face that he fell over and let the tears spill out over the edges of his eyes. He wanted to kick and scream and whine about how this wasn't fair, about how he'd already lost more than he could ever afford to lose and that fate should just leave him alone! But after a moment he resigned himself. He couldn't lay back under the unmoving sun and wait to die...then her death would've meant nothing, then all the effort to get over his grief over the last year would've been for nothing, then all that time he spent promising to protect Yuzu and Karin would've been for nothing. Ichigo stood his shoulders felt heavy, his stomach rattled and his knees were sore, his eyes were itchy and vision still mildly blurry. He turned to see Keigo still murmuring to himself while watching the chain continue to consume itself.

"Asano-kun. We should get moving, if we stick around here who knows what things will come across us."

Keigo froze and his head rigidly began to swivel toward the head of orange to his right. The boy was already throwing on a satchel and tying the sword to his belt, before proceeding to dump out the bag to scour its contents. From the overturned satchel dropped out half a dozen gray bricks wrapped in an oily paper, several bottle of water, a small pamphlet called 'Your Zanpakuto and you.' It had a bunny rabbit in a black kimono with a white haori on and a blade not unlike their own but with a special looking tsuba. The tsuka on her blade also looked unique, while theirs was bright purple silk overlaying the black stingray wrap, hers was a hot pink.

Ichigo looked over his pile of supplies for a moment longer before deciding to start packing it back up. Looking at it any longer would just start pissing him off sooner or later.

"K-kurosaki-kun...do… do you think that man has a way to stop it…?"

Ichigo turned his head, Keigo had stopped crying mostly, but refused to do more than sit up, his eyes still transfixed on the the self eating chain. Ichigo cupped his chin, today had been filled with more odd crap than he could recall from his last nine years of being alive so...it could be possible.

"Maybe," Ichigo muttered, "but we still have to get out of here to ask."

Keigo finally peeled his eyes away and flinched as Ichigo dropped his bag and sword down next to him. The dust rose and a grain nestled its way onto the surface of his eye. Biting back a squeal he blinked it away before standing and throwing in his bag.

Ichigo looked all around them before spitting a small blob into his left hand and moistening his right pointer finger before raising it into the air, after a moment he frowned.

"What is it?" Keigo asked.

Ichigo grunted as he crossed his arms, "no air, and the sun hasn't moved. Which means no natural direction guides."

"Eh! S-So what are we gonna do!"

"Damn...lets start heading right and see what happens."

 **-0-**

Urahara fixed the position of his hat whilst Jinta and Tessai made their way up the ladder and back into the shop. He stopped at the base of the metal climbing apparatus and turned back to cast a solemn look over his shoulder.

"What the matter Kisuke? Leaving two small and inexperienced children in the middle of a desert surrounded by danger to fend for themselves upsetting your conscious?" The black feline, Yoruichi, purred from atop his head.

Urahara shrugged before turning back to the stairs and simply jumping all the way up to the entrance to his shop. A feat most would consider inhuman, which he wasn't, when taking into consideration the thirty or so meters of the ladder, his lack of buildup, and lack of any dramatic lights before jump.

But once his feet past the threshold of the trap door and he was securely standing past the hole that led into his little slice of paradise he decided having the shape changing cat on his head had already gotten old, and proceeded to lift her off by the skin of its back.

"No, not really. What's bugging me is that stalker boy, I hate unknown variables." He muttered to himself and his furry friend before Tessai was thrown through the sliding door and ruining his new table, the cause for his assistants violent entrance? Well none other than the fuzzy faced ex-shinigami captain Shiba Isshin!

His usual relaxed and easy going demeanor thrown to the wind in favor of a hard set glare with a exposed teeth. His shihakusho blowing dramatically on the wind...that was somehow in the middle of his shop, and his specially made captain haori-pauldron added a perfect balance to his look. At first glance, an ordinary foot soldier or possibly a seated officer to drop your guard around, before being hit in the face by the mountain of spiritual pressure that wafted off him like a dead man left in the sun for too long.

Smiling Urahara outstretched both hands and smiled as over dramatically as he could.

"Isshin-kun! It's been so long since you've stopped by for a visit!" As soon as the last word left his mouth he dodged to the side to avoid the kissaki of his old friends zanpakuto.

Pleasantries were often ignored in the majority of his dealings with Isshin, but the 'old friend' was always willing to crack a joke or play along with some of his antics before throwing a punch that Kisuke would make no effort to dodge. Granted that punch would be coming from the immensely compressed soul jammed inside of a specially made Gigai.

Mr. Hat-and-clogs threw himself backward to avoid a stab at his abdomen, and then ducked left to avoid a slash.

Urahara threw up his cane flicking Isshin's chin and getting a seconds to step back before the cap was grabbed by the ex-captain in a grip so tight his knuckles were white. Never taking any opportunity for granted or being one to waste or add movements to a fight Kisuke drew his blade from it's cane sheath and twirled to get into a better stance.

Isshin growled as he drew back his blade, tossing aside the sheath of the shop owners own zanpakuto and flicked the spine of his own, "Burn, Engetsu!"

The simple blade was engulfed in bright cherry colored flames that wafted off of it like smoke.

"Where's my boy Kisuke!" Isshin growled.

Urahara stared down his shikai wielding friend and sighed. He thought he'd have _at least_ until the end of today to explain this to Isshin, but no such luck for the brilliant shop owner. To have been found out so quickly, and with so little plan to make up some proper excuse.

"He and one of his school friends/stalkers is in the basement undergoing training to achieve a connection with their inner spirits."

Time seemed to stop for the Kurosaki patriarch as the words were registered in his brain. A surge of pure rage seemed to replace every liter of blood in his body as he charged the scientist that quickly ducked back into the basment, where Isshin wasted no time in following.

Then in an instant the flames on his blade grew as he swiped it in a wide arc at blonde in front of him, both still slowly falling toward the desert ground below, the words spilling loudly from his mouth.

"Getsuga! Tenshou!"

His attack was met and stopped by a swipe from Urahara's own blade. His opposite hand came up and flicked his hat up to remove the shadows from his eyes.

A small mushroom cloud had been kicked up that their clash, no doubt spilling countless pounds of sand into his living space, that was gonna be a pain to sweep...good thing Tessai was around. Now with both of them level in this wide open space, Urahara held nothing back...mostly.

"The test came in...if we had waited any longer that boy of yours would've been consumed whole by the hollow within him."

Isshin growled and facepalmed. His finger constricting tightly in an attempt to hold back his burning tears, the flames upon his blade shrinking and slowly dying as he sheathed the primary weapon of any shinigami. Tiredly he rubbed his face before looking at his old 'friend'.

"How long?" He asked, agitated byond measure.

Urahara smiled, "If we're lucky? Five days."

Isshin nearly face faulted at that but caught himself. He looked passed the shop opener toward the open expanse of desert and frowned. He'd have done anything to keep his little boy from this...at least for a little while longer.

 **-0-**

Keigo dropped to his knees, a thin sheen of sweat over him and his lungs were burning. His hair was a mess from off the dust and dirt in the air, and he felt like his brain was being fried. Ichigo stopped and turned his head, the difference between the two was minuscule but noticeable. The ginger haired boy was sweaty and irritated from the long walk but his legs had not yet buckled from the strain like the brunette had.

"Asano-kun, please keep up. The sun might not be moving but time is ticking and that chain isn't getting any longer."

At the reminder Keigo threw back a look to the slowly munching mouths still eating themselves, his panic grew ten times but his vigor was still a mere drop in a vast desert...literally! In his desperation he attempted to throw himself atop Ichigo screaming 'carry me to refuge!' Before Ichigo planted his foot into the center of his chest, though not without taking in all the momentum and knocking himself on his rump.

The two of them groaned in pain. Keigo massaged the center of his chest, just mere centimeters to the left of the chain where he had been kicked, he looked over and saw Ichigo irritated and clutching his calf.

Suddenly a loud pop and boom filled their ears as a rush of cool wind was over them, both of them turned to see the massive mushroom cloud of sand in the distance, in the opposite direction that they were coming from.

Keigo gulped before standing and continuing to speed walk, nearly jogging, in the opposite direction before passing by Ichigo who grabbed the hem of his shirt from his place still on the ground. Quickly he stood and attempted to drag Keigo toward the cloud.

"Come on Asano-kun."

"NO! Why would we head _toward_ the explosion!?"

Ichigo paused, why in deed would he head toward an explosion? Because the voice in his head had become an itch and the rushing cool breeze that came from that explosion seemed to satisfy that itch? Because he felt like some clue was better than no clues? Because whatever did that might have something to do with Mr. Hat-and-clogs?

"Because last time I checked I was keeping charge of direction, and I say so."

When in doubt playing the ten-year-old superiority card always worked...mostly.

Keigo, not satisfied at all with that reason, grabbed Ichigo's wrist and dug his uncut nails into it, much to the ginger haired boys annoyance.

"Oy! What's the big idea?!" Ichigo yelped as he ripped his hand away and nursed it in his own gentle touch.

"The Idea? The idea is that I'm not following you toward some explosion you psycho!"

Before either boy could argue the point further the sand dune roughly twelve meters in front of them erupted and from beneath it came out a giant lizard with a skull mask, it's bulky form skulking out from under the eroded rock dust. Its golden eyes landing on them before it roared to high heaven and began running toward them, in that awkward alligator/crocodile sort of way with its tail haphazardly flailing about behind it sending up waves of sand. Keigo in his many years of being tortured by bullies had learned one thing, if something mildly bigger than you was speeding toward you, you run like hell.

So he decided he'd push Ichigo down as a distraction and burn shoe soles as quick as he could toward that explosion...except for the fact that while Keigo had been standing there practically paralyzed Ichigo had already made a run for it.

Tears erupted from his eyes like a busted fire-hydrant as he screamed out for help, "KUROSAKI-KUN!"

 **-0-**

Their huffing ceased as, by some miracle, they had lost the monstrosity chasing after them. Ichigo wiped the sweat from his brow and looked over, Keigo had wasted no time in catching up and sticking to his heels like a piece of used Ichigo thought, had he really just left his only friend in this messed up situation to die at the hands? No, more appendages than hands. Had he really just left his only friend in this to die at the appendages of some lizard monster?

Swallowing the vile taste that danced across his mouth Ichigo sat back against the dune of sand, this one had not yet exploded outward to reveal a sickening monster sleeping beneath it. Mimicking Keigo in that manner Ichigo has pressed his back against the dune and soon found the twisting pain returning to his calf, slowly he removed from his bag a bottle of water and began sipping gingerly at its contents. How long would they be stuck here? Did they have enough supplies to last until help came? Was there any help coming?

Sniffling at the sudden chill that hit him, despite the fact that the damn sun had yet to crawl a centimeter from its place in the apex of the sky, much to Ichigo's growing ire. He swore to find and ruthlessly mutilate whoever the hell it was that made a desert where the sun stade stagnant all damn day! I mean, they didn't even get any freezing nights to make them long for the overbearing heat of day, it was just heat all the time.

Keigo, who had been hopelessly panting in agony to Ichigo's right decided to curl up into the feedle position and fall over as he began to sob again. A growl found its way past his broken lips as he clenched his hands.

'Who cries this damn much!?' Ichigo thought stealing a glance at his shivering friend. A truly captivating sight, if not for the snot dribbling from his nose, or the tears rushing down his red cheeks past his clenched eyes then for the muttered nothings escaping his lips as he begged for mom or dad to make this all go away. But for a second Ichigo didn't see the brown mess of hair belonging to Keigo. He saw his orange bed of spikes. He didn't see the desert ground below him. He saw the grassy ground next to an overflowing river. He didn't see Keigo. He saw himself, himself on the day she had been taken away. And that had right and truly pissed. Him. Off.

He pushed off the dune and stood atop his throbbing leg and glowered at Keigo, as if by some miracle, his hate filled stare would ignite the boy and bestow upon him some damn clarity. This wasn't something mom or dad could fix, this wasn't going to go away just because you shut your eyes and begged for it to be over, and just like that his mind was made up.

Growling every step of the way and kicking up enough sand to build his own manor he grabbed Keigo's collar and hauled the boy to eye level.

"Shut. Up." He hissed through clenched teeth.

Keigo sniffled and his bottom lip quivered for a moment before the hot tears kept falling and he was thrown back into the sand, the fore of the fall punching against his spine and sending a wave of pain through him.

"What do you think is gonna happen when that chain runs out!" Ichigo screamed, "will standing around and crying about our shit luck change a damn thing? Hell no! So stop it and get it together already!"

Keigo looked up at the boy, his eyes stinging from the hot salty water in them, and the soreness of his throat. The words, their meaning, their purpose was spelled out for him, the instructions were basic...but he couldn't just stop, just shut off his emotions like they were tied to some switch. Keigo dragged his sleeve across his face, a messy mess remained when his finished but fortunately he had managed to remove the snot instead of just smearing it. Tears still bubbled in his eyes, and connecting his sight to Ichigo's would be a challenge moving forward...but as adrenaline returned to his veins, he realized the ginger haired boy was right.

And then the dune he was partially resting against exploded sending them both into a roll that Leigo swore knocked several things loose. When his hazel eyes popped open and he saw Ichigo standing there with a smile and clenched eyes as he sobbed he felt lost, looking back to where the dune had been previously revealed that their scaly friend had racked them down, and his glowing eyes seemed rightly pissed that he had been misguided. Keigo pushes against the sand and cringed. His wrist felt like fire as he pushed down on it and immeasurably he noticed the swelling inflammation of the afflicted area. Panting Keigo looked back toward Ichigo who had already reigned himself in and clicked his tongue as he drew the blade at his side, and it was then that Keigo had realized it. Ichigo was hopelessly insane.

"Kurosaki-kun! Run! What are you going to do to that thing with a sword!?"

Ichigo stopped and looked back over at Keigo, still flat against the sand with his awkwardly bent wrist and bruised face. The sad look in his eyes, the worry, the dread...the pity. Ichigo turned his head away and spat.

"I refuse. I refuse to stand by while people continue to die around me while I cower."

Keigo looked back at the lizard monster that had begun it charge at them, finally, and swallowed. He didn't wanna die, but he didn't want someone to get killed because of him...even if he had intended to use Ichigo as a distraction, he didn't want to see the orange haired boy be squished under the monsters heel.

"What's a sword supposed to do against that?!" Keigo tried to argue, with any luck he could convince him to help him up and the two could limp to safety!

Ichigo smiled as he turned the sword over in his hand for a second, "I saw Mr. Hat-and-clogs teleport us around by crinkling up some paper. I'm curious to see what this swords is gonna do."

Keigo watched breathlessly as the orange haired boy threw down his back and wrapped both hands around the handle, his fingers wound so tightly that his knuckles started turning white. His jaw dropped open to suck in as much air as possible and then he charged toward the raging creature.

'If I said it once...I've said it twice!' Thought Ichigo raising his blade high above his head while running, boy did that feel awkward, and yelling at the top of his lungs!

"NOBODY MESSES WITH KUROSAKI ICHIGO!"

The ginger haired boys roaring was cut horridly short whenthe lizard skull bashed him hard enough to send him flying, his smaller body doing no less than six flips in the air before hitting the sand with a hard thud and crack and he skidded backward to a stop, leaving a long trail of crimson.

Keigo failed to hold back the hot bile that rushed up his throat and passed his lips at the sight before him. His vision blurred as tears poured out from his eyes...and then he froze. The pale fingers on the orange haired boy's hand twitched and slowly began to close around the handle once more. The steel of the blade dragged slowly as the arm rose and stabbed it into the sand and pushed up. Keigo almost shrieked for joy before catching the eyes of the somehow still living boy before him.

Two golden yellow irises resting upon a sea of darkness with a stream of blood coming down his forehead.

Ichigo sighed as he brought the blade up to rest on his shoulder, "It was worth a try at least king. But now…"

His hand rose and the air around them grew hotter and started shimmering red as it was drawn into the sphere forming in the palm of Ichigo's hand.

"...it's my turn…"

Hot steam began gushing past the boys fingers as his flesh grew red and slowly the sphere finished sucking in the air around them...before launching forward in a wide cylindrical beam that bore a perfect hole right through the monsters mask and through to the other end. In the seconds following the blast the beast broke down into ash and blew away in the wind, leaving Ichigo time a plenary to examine his burnt hand and grunt in annoyance. Turning toward Keigo he smiled and rose his damaged hand to the forefront of the other boy's attention.

"Oy, do me a favor and bandage this up for me...I gotta have a talk with King."

Before Keigo could so much as get a word in the gold color vanished from his eyes and sea of blackness returned to normal white, and Ichigo promptly collapsed.

 **-0-**

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	3. A Peice of my Soul?

It...was cold. But not annoyingly so, and definitely a very much appreciated reprieve from the overbearing heat of the desert Mr. Hat-and-clogs had gone and left him in...wait a minute…

Ichigo sat up and rubbed that annoying drowsy feeling out of his eyes before stopping as he caught the smiling freak show that stood before him. His eyes tried to focus in on the figure that he knew for sure he just saw, but every time he tried the figure grew blurry and fuzzy, completely out of focus. Ichigo tried blinking rapidly and rubbing his eyes once more but it did nothing to clear up his vision, though odd as it sounded it was only the white figure that he couldn't see, he was perfectly able to examine the surroundings they currently occupied. Big mistake.

His stomach dropped to his feet as that creepy tingly feeling invaded his manhood as he stared down and realized that the space they occupied, this empty city, had been turned on its axis, it was a so disorientating that, right when he stood straight up, he fell right back down screaming bloody murder the whole way...before hitting the skyscraper and having his ears invaded by that familiar distorted echo of his own vocals from earlier. Sitting back up he realized that turning the city on its axis had apparently done the same to the way gravity worked...probably…

Turning back to the blurry figure Ichigo decided to toss caution to the wind, something he thought would become a habit at this rate, and asked the figure across from him the obvious question, "Why can't I see you?"

More laughter, some knee slapping, and a little bit of sniffling for added flavor, and the distorted echo replied calmly, or as calmly as Ichigo assumed it was ever going to be, "That's your first question? Not, what is this place, who are you, or any of those things that you should have asked…"

Ichigo didn't miss the disheartened tone at which the distortion reprimanded him, like it wanted him to ask those questions or something, and shrugged away. The orange haired boy chuckled and rubbed the back of his head in an attempt to lighten the mood, failing miserably if the irritable grunt he heard was any indication.

"So...you won't tell me?" Ichigo cautiously threw out the question only to be hissed at. Rude.

The blurry distortion patted itself before chuckling, it began to stand from its place sitting cross legged and behind it sat a clear as day blade, not unlike the swords Mr. Hat-and-clogs had given to him and Keigo. But the differences seemed to pop out at him, like he was seeing a reflection. The sword he was staring at was stabbed into the ground, while still sheathed, a long string...a long chain of red-diamond shaped beads wrapped around the black as midnight sheath, the handle could easily fit two hands and was wrapped in a dark blue cord wrap with a bright red layer beneath it. The guard of the blade was a simple square with four bars jetting straight out but stopping before going passed the edge of the guard.

The blurry figure chuckled and Ichigo drew his attention back to him, "Oi! What's so funny?"

The distortion reached out a hand and the diamond shaped beads began rattling. Slowly the blade started wiggling back and forth before it flew out of the ground, scabbard and all, and into his grip. As the diamond shaped beads unwound from the scabbard and wrapped around the distortion, his blurry edges quickly became refined and Ichigo felt his breath catch.

The voice, the height, the look, the reflection back at school...he should have figured it out. Standing before him was a perfect look alike of himself. Same wild hair, same round face with a slightly pointy chin, same narrow eyes. It was almost disturbing seeing this version of himself that seemed washed out of all color, save for the brilliant golden eyes. He stuck out his tongue and gave his distortion two thumbs down.

A tick mark appeared against the now undistorted-distortions forehead before he threw a pebble at the orange haired kid who deftly doged to the side.

"Eh! What the hell is up with these reactions dammit! You were supposed to be all scared and freaked out dammit! How am I supposed to take over your soul now Dammit! Dammit!" The undistorted-distortions screamed to the heavens, which seemed to perfectly wind around this axis flipped world.

"Dattebayo!" Ichigo laughed while giving his undistorted-distortions a thumbs up.

The undistorted-distortions rose a brow and let his arms droop by his side in a very unentertained kind of way, "Just...just what the hell was that?"

Ichigo wiped the tear from the edges of his view from his small fit of laughter and and looked back at his clone.

"You kept adding 'dammit' to the end of your sentence and it reminded me of this manga I started reading recently, but even with my face you don't seem as charismatic as Naru-"

Ichigo would never be able to name drop the main character from a hit manga series because just as he was about to his crazed kage-bunshin just tried to stab at him. Though he narrowly dodged to the side before the blade penetrated his belly.

"You're supposed to be scared of me dammit! Freak out and cry like the wuss I know you are!" The undistorted-distortions roared as it slashed wildly at Ichigo.

"I probably should be but its hard to explain...being around you isn't scary, it...feel right."

Distorted-Ichigo stopped his assault, letting the bewildering ten-year-old get a good few feet between them. Had he really been that transparent? Could this kid already have figure this test out...no, there's no way...DAMMMIT!

And then, in a burst of speed and sound that seemed to teleport Distorted-Ichigo from his place two meters away to right in front of Ichigo, and with blade high over head and lungs full of air, he unleashed a battle cry before delivering the swing to end all swings that Ichigo stepped into!

The blade harmlessly hit him in the shoulder and failed to cut as Ichigo walked closer to his distortion and wrapped his arms around it.

"O-oy! What the hell kind of dumbass are you! You don't step into sword swings idiot!"

Ichigo chose to ignore his chastization and nuzzled himself deeper into the hug that felt so warm he thought he could fall asleep standing up.

Ichigo chuckled softly as the old memories came to him, those times when he would run around like some stupid wild-thing and fall all over the place and return to his mother covered in bruises, the way she could numb the pain, make the world that hurt so much just disappear with something as stupidly simple and silly as a hug.

"I guessed it wouldn't hurt...because it felt too much like her…."

 **-0-**

Urahara let loose a held breath at the encroaching blackness stopped its cracking of the blue fire pictogram representing Ichigo's soul and started receding to the edges where it simply outlined the blue fire of his soul and provided a safe shell. A limiter of sorts to keep the fire from burning those around it, and a cone to keep the fire lit in the storms surely to come ahead.

"That my boy! Fighting back that possessive hollow spirit!" Isshin yelled as he took back another swig of sake from his saucer.

"You know Isshin-kun, it's not that I mine your company, but hasn't school let out for for those adorable little girls of yours?"

The ex-shinigami captain seemed to pale as a world regained some clarity, and in that moment of clarity he could feel Masaki shaking her head at him from beyond the grave. His jaws split and dropped open as tears poured down his cheeks while he threw his head back in woe.

"MASAKI PLEASE FORGIVE ME!"

Mr. Hat-and-clogs leaned back to see the ex-shinigami captain running for his life back to wherever he had left his gigai to go pick up his daughters, ignoring the not inconsiderate cloud of dust and dirt he kicked up on the way out and further more into the city. Wait.

"Hey, Yoruichi...how'd Isshin-kun leave his Gigai without a mod-soul or soul-punch?"

The black cat snickered to herself and hopped onto the table to lap up some sake from its own saucer, "When you told me about your plan to prepare Ichigo to defend against the hollow consuming his soul, I possibly, may have, just kind of, given him the spare mod-soul you had lying around."

Mr. Hat-and-clogs could do nothing, absolutely, irrefutably nothing, to keep from chuckling like some school girl at the thought of Isshin leaving his body in the hands of some defective mod-soul. In fact that his chuckling got so bad that Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu had all come in to see if he was being tickled to death by Yoruichi again, and upon seeing that he wasn't all slowly backed out of the room.

 **-0-**

Isshin jumped in from the kitchens open window and paused at the sight before him, his body happily shaking its but to some J-pop alongside Yuzu while baking cookies, and being the absolute bane to Karins existence, he really hoped she grew out of that moody phase she was in.

 **-0-**

"So, your actually a part of my soul...but also your own soul, that is the soul of my sword, that exist because you branched off of my soul…?"

Distorted-Ichigo nodded along to everything Ichigo said waiting for the moment to correct him if he messed up in summarizing the last half hour of boring exposition, that absolutely no one wanted to see or write about, whatsoever.

Ichigo breathed an anxious sigh, "So, all of this getting angry at me was because you wanted an easy time consuming my soul?"

Distorted-Ichigo nodded vigorously with crossed arms before being pushed over, not to his surprise, and continued to nod whilst on his side, "Yeah, but thats all Zanpakuto, we're a segment of your soul, but also our own person, we provide power but every time we do it's a battle between us for control. Everyone wants to be the driver."

Ichigo sighed and stood up, his hand resting on the handle of the blade sheathed at his side with an understanding nod, he enjoyed the look of his sword, which throughout their whole conversation he had refused to give his name, something about having to work hard for that privilege, and it not coming as easy as the test of first unlocking his power. The two smiled at one another, feral grins of determination and perseverance.

"Well King, it's looking like its about time to wake up. You better not let up for even a second or I'll eat you whole, got it!"

"And you better be ready to let loose and fight hard because i'm never giving up! Dattebayo!"

"Stop it!"

Ichigo snickered as he slowly began to fade into dust, leaving his sword-spirit to dwell on the conversation that they had, well, had. Leaving now, he knew they weren't friends, but neither were they enemies. It was more like rivals if anything, two people working hard for the betterment of themselves, while also pushing the other to get stronger. It was vaguely quaint.

 **XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

Sitting up Ichigo immediately spat out the mixed wad of sand, spit, and blood that was perfectly moist and resting in his mouth. He then flinched and lifted up his hand to see his entire right hand bandaged from the tips of his fingers down to his elbow, parts of the white wrapping where oddly pink...when the hell had his hand gotten hurt!?

He, however, had no time to ponder this as he was headbutted, deja vu, and tackled to the ground where a messy brown mop of hair nuzzled against his face while the boy attached to the mop cried into his shoulder. The world seemed to focus in on this, and for a split second Ichigo had done everything he could to replace the sobbing boy in his arms with the image of literally anything else before throwing the boy off, all the while thinking of how Tatsuki would never let him live something like that down. His cheeks burned with an embarrassed fury before he realized how chilly he felt. Looking down at his waist showed that no blade was present, huffing he looked around and saw his sword spirit, who had refused to give him a name to call him by, something about that being a test later or whatever, and as irritating as that was it didn't even hold a candle to the annoyance that washed over Ichigo at seeing the contents of his bag spilled out over the sandy field before them. That said he soon realized that Keigo had dragged him under the shade of a modest dune of sand to treat his arm, and had decided that letting his stuff remain scattered would be his first job upon returning to the world of the living, err, dead?

Shaking his head Ichigo stood before frowning at the way his new blade was just lying in the sand unsheathed, and the way his scabbard was half buried just added to that growing ire.

"H-hey, Kurosaki-kun…"

"Ichigo."

"Huh?"

"We literally could have died however long ago it was that we were attacked, if surviving that together doesn't put us on a first name bases nothing will."

Keigo scratched his head and thought about that, the strange urge to laugh and the irony of laughing at this situation not lost on him, shaking his head slightly to loosen the grains of sand sticking to his scalp he looked at Ichigo.

"Right, well Ichigo while you were asleep and I was bandaging your arm...your sword started changing...and before that, you did this thing."

Ichigo cupped his chin and recalled the summary Spirit-Ichigo, Seishin-Ichigo...Seishin? He recalled the brief summary Seishin had given him after their little game of tag and was quite put off by the fact that his sword spirit had already taken control of his body when he had been so badly taken out by what Seishin referred to as a low-level-hollow-shit. Grumbling the orange haired boy was already set about to picking up his zanpakuto and wrapping the red-diamond-shaped beads around him to secure the scabbard, which he had emptied out and tapped against his foot to ensure the vacating of all sandy grains within, before sheathing Seishin. Ichigo smirked at the feeling of irritation coming off his blade, he'd be pissed too if some little turd was calling him a name like 'human' or 'person' or whatever.

"Yeah, Seishin gave me the run down after he tried to cut me with...myself?" Ichigo said as he recalled the horrendous explanation given to him earlier. Your soul can't cause you harm but at the same time that very soul could overwrite it originally and then overwrite you and then cause you harm. Ichigo furiously rubbed the sides of his head as he screamed at just the thought of having to explain this again to Keigo.

"Seishin?" Keigo cocked a brow up at the name and his doubtful eyes made Ichigo wanna stomp on his face, doubtful bastard…

"My sword...well sort of, he didn't give me a name so I just made it up...honestly i should have called him Naruto," Ichigo sniggered as he felt the small twitch emanating from his scabbard, "anyway, these sword we're carrying around are shells that are taking in our souls and becoming their own separate entity. If you want a better explanation figure out how to get inside your head and beat it out of your own Seishin."

Keigo stopped it was just too much, I mean how could anyone not just stop and let it all out after a day like this one, he laughed. Throwing his head back and letting his jaw drop wide open he cackled without restraint until he was red in the face and tears were bubbling in his eyes.

"Okay, so how do I do that?"

Ichigo shoved the last bit of his stuff into his bag before giving Keigo an over the shoulder glance, "Seishin says it requires either a lot of meditation or an impatient spirit...or near death experience."

Keigo gulped at the glint in his companions eyes before resting a hand on his blade, they were both novices without the first clue to sword fighting, at least Keigo assumed Ichigo didn't know a damn thing about swinging hunks of steel around, if his earlier display meant anything, so what if his blade was customized or that he had talked to someone living inside of it. Whimpering the whole time he finally groaned as he drew his blade and gripped the handle for dear life.

Ichigo didn't need a play book to tell what the brown haired boy was planning, "A fight huh? You sure Keigo, we could probably just wait until those chains finish eating themselves." Ichigo offered with a yawn as he drew Seishin with one hand and spaced his legs. He didn't know squat about fighting with a sword, hell he practiced karate with Tatsuki and the other kids for all of two years before the...incident...and in that time he had never even looked at a boken or anything. In fact that stance he was slipping into now was a copy of what he had seen Seishin standing in, his feet spread with a light bend in the knees to keep himself grounded, his dominant hand tightly, more or less, holding the handle straight while his off hand hovered over the handle to assist with maneuvers, and his back felt strange being positioned this way for the first time ever.

It was a mildly calm air that floated between them, and then Keigo realized just what he was volunteering to do, getting stabbed on a whim to try and coax a meeting with a part of his own soul...it was ridiculous, but what did he have to lose.

This wasn't a staged fight, and threw-out his ten years Keigo had barely been in debates with anyone let alone a right and proper fight, the sickening twist his stomach was doing did nothing to ease his nerves and the blade he clutched so dearly felt awkward and alien in his small hands. He was ten, he should have been in school talking to friends, messing around, doing homework and getting good grades to make it into a good school...but...but all of that seemed so distant. They, him and Ichigo, hadn't even been here for a day-or maybe just a bit over a day-not having any way to tell time made it difficult to tell, had everything they'd known as 'life' been washed away so suddenly?

Keigo was torn from his pensive thoughts when he heard a loud growl and his body jerked to the side before he even knew what was happening, at least until he saw the blade swipe through the air and dig deep into the sand where it remained seemingly immovable from the force the orange haired wielder put behind it. His moment of peace died in the neverending sunlight however as before he could even blink Ichigo gripped the blade with his loose off hand into a reverse grip and used that same roar to strengthen himself as he pulled the sword from the sand whilst kicking up the golden dust.

Keigo, now blinking irritably as his eyes watered in a futile attempt to ease the burning pain, threw several wild slashes. His reach was short, his aim was off, and all he had to go on was the he was still within Ichigo's stabbing range or at least he guessed as much from the occasional clangs he heard and the sudden force against his own attacks. Spitting in frustration his eyes blinking even faster now he kept up the crazed swings with the intent to push away the orange haired boy. For all the hope that he had that meeting his sword-spirit would resolve his monsterfication problem the fact that he had to die, again, to do it was immensely off putting and frightening.

With a scream he lifted his blade above his head and brought it down with all the force he could...and froze when he felt his momentum die and the shock that run up his arms. He heard the cloth cut and the sound of metal sinking into flesh he peeled open one eye forcefully to see the hissing form of Ichigo bleeding profusely from the shallow gash in his right shoulder, but Keigo felt his heart hitch when the boy opposing him smiled and stepped forward, blade still caught on his shoulder, cutting deeper into the flesh before he thrusted his blade forward and then his lungs tightened.

The blade that was stabbed Keigo through the throat was now resting lazily by the side of the orange haired wielder who had lost his feral smile for a blank look, he had pushed the blade out of his shoulder with another hiss before staring down at the suffocating body of Keigo.

Ichigo sighed before removing his shirt and tossing it to the ground before beginning his slow and arduous task of wrapping up his bleeding shoulder with one hand, also he was patiently waiting for Keigo to finish suffocating to begin wrapping up his throat. Judging by the pained look in the brown haired boys eyes or the slow and sporadic twitching, it wouldn't be much longer now.

 **-0-**

Air brushed passed his lips and into his mouth before gingerly grassing his tongue and disappearing down his throat and inflating his lungs. With the ease of a goat dying of a heart attack Keigo kicked his legs forward and his began his dry hacking coughs and slow spasms, perspiration gracing his forehead and a reddened face adding to the scene. He fell from his velvet chair and onto the floor before knockin his back against the legs of the seat in front of his own. Control began to slowly return to the boy when he heard it, the echoed sound of distant clapping with a loud and frankly obnoxious laugh filling the room.

He reached up and pulled himself up only to be baffled by the shadowed ceiling over him, where had the deserts blue sky and raging sun gone?

"My, my, boy! What a stunning performance, surely you'd provide this humble viewer with an encore?" He heard the vaguely feminine voice ask and froze before he stared down at the stage and froze.

There in the center of the wooden platform stood, or sat, the blurry image of a figure just there so motionless made him want to shudder and turn tail, but if this was the place then he very well couldn't just up and leave.

"I already know you're a part of my soul! Ichigo-kun told me all about these test!" Keigo shouted down at her before flinching at her uproarious laughter.

"He also should have told you every Zanpakuto is different...but in seeing that you know part of the truth I assume letting you in on the rest wouldn't be too much trouble."

She reached out a blurry hand and from the ceiling above shrouded in some impregnable darkness dropped a sheathed tanto with an intrinsic knot around the scabbard, it was bright red and elegantly tied with four tails dangling perfectly from the ribbon like ovals. The blade itself had no guard and the handle was an upsettingly plain looking white bandage wrap with copper bearing wherever those were essentials, it looked less like a weapon and more like an heirloom or a prop.

When it touched the distorted figures hand all the obscuring fog around her vanished revealing an obviously womanly figure, a curvaceous form with supple breast and fair skin a perfectly tanned peach color with piercing green eyes that glowed under the subtle light, she wore a gown of royal purple with frills of pale blue and all of it was like nothing compared to her snow white hair that reached passed her wide hips and onto the beige planks of the floor and splayed out behind her like a sea of silk.

"I see you entranced by the beauty of my form. But I warn you, boy, at the first slight you make I shall consume you," she licked her lips as her eyes took in his form, even from the distance at which they stood, "for you see me, my captivating appearance and presence could very well spell your doom...and it simply won't do to be wielded by someone so...forthcoming."

Keigo snapped to attention when he realized she was whispering in his ear and stepped back, with no clue as to when he had been transported to the center-stage.

He gulped and took in all that was happening once more before he recalled why he had let himself be stabbed in the first place, and if he caught anything hidden beneath what she had just said it was that she was willing to work together.

"Y-you're a part of my soul...which means you might already know about the chain…"

"You severed soul chain? Oh! Yes, I knew of that almost instantly and while it was mildly jarring it wouldn't have been the first time I was so vigorously awoken. Ho-ho-ho-ho!" she at least had the had the courtesy to look embarrassed at such a confession that she quickly laughed off.

"So since that's happening, I...or Ichigo figured you could have some way to help me combat it."

The sword-spirit hummed in acknowledgement before nodding, "It has already been taken care of. By simply coming here and accepting this part of you that has become its own, your soul is once again one, if in a roundabout way."

Keigo gaped and couldn't hold back his cheers as he jumped for joy and whooped at the top of his lungs. This hadn't all been for nothing!

"Well then!" Keigo beamed taking her hands and shaking them feverently, "thanks for the help...err, what was your name again?"

She gasped before ripping her hands from his hold and slapping him, if not all that harshly, and turning away from him, "Did you think us on such good and familiar terms to just outright ask a name of me!? You might as well have reached up my dress and felt me up! Be gone, I no longer wish to permit you to bask in my captivating glow."

And with her words a trap-door opened from beneath Keigo's feet and he fell through with but the flailing scream to personify his shock. And in that instance where the theater she called home returned to being hopelessly silent she turned around and looked longingly at the trap-door before rubbing her thighs together and whispering to herself, "But I hope you come back soon...Keigo-kun…"

 **/-0-\**

 **A/N:** I'm not crazy enough to believe that, for even a second, everyone who reads my stories will read everything I write, but because I'm 90% I won't be updating anything else before I leave on my month long trip. So for those who see this message, fear not; I shall return with a chapter for you on the twentieth of January, 21st at the latest, and updates for my other stories as well. So Merry Christmas, and Happy New-Year, and whichever other assorted Holidays you all celebrate.

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	4. Soul Harmonized 1

Ichigo withdrew his blade from the quickly disintegrating mask of the small chicken shaped monster that had rushed at him and Keigo. It wasn't hard at all, it was like swinging his own arm and he cut through the bone mask like it wasn't even there, if anything it was scary how easy it was. One stroke and something living had been reduced to dust, one slash and the spry little demon was nothing more than a inky remanente on the pristine gold of the desert sands. With a wave of his steel he could extinguish these embodiments of hatred… Ichigo turned to the prone form of his brown haired companion, and dare he say...friend, who still remained unconscious even after the ten minutes he had spent wrapping some cloth around his throat to stop the bleeding and keep any sand from infecting the wound. The beige cloth he had used had become a dark reddish pink after half an hour of dragging him through the desert.

Slowly Ichigo raised his blade and gave its vibrantly reflective steel a happy smirk before flicking the blade toward the earth to remove any remaining gore before sheathing it in its midnight tinted scabbard. His hazel eyes went to the horizon, still irritatingly empty without so much as a sign as to what in the hell had gone and made that mushroom cloud.

Though Ichigo could worry about it later as the raspy and gurgled screaming if Keigo drew his eyes back. The meters of chain rattled harshly before every single link grew a mouth and screeched in agony alongside the suffering brunette. His body spasmed before he found his way onto his back so that his hands could claw at the anchoring port of the chain. The reddish pink cloth around his through began to flutter before ripping apart as a white goop came gushing outward from the wound and made a thin bone cast around his neck. The chain links that were screaming began rattling furiously before one by one popping into tiny black grains of dust and ground iron. Keigo coughed as he opened his eyes and turned his head, slowly, to look at Ichigo before smiling.

Keigo reached over and pulled up his zanpakuto, which has gone from the painfully average looking katana to the exquisite and well crafted but sleek looking tanto. It's white scabbard, it's silky ribbon, it's bandage wrapped handle. It was perfect, without a doubt, at least to Keigo. Ichigo snorted at the daintier blade and rested a hand on his own sword.

The brunette gave him a look that the ginger shrugged off before tending to his friend as a hand clasped onto his shoulder. It happened before his brain could even process it. His hand resting in the sword tightened on the handle and his feet planted themselves as he began turning at the waist, all the while inching his blade out of its scabbard. A solid connection was made and Ichigo paled, before his ears picked up the sound of steel digging into wood and turned his head a slight bit more to see the edge of his blade digging into the wooden cane belonging to a man with a head of familiar blonde hair, and the obnoxiously inviting grin on his face. Ichigo roared drawing the blade back as he turned on the balls of his feet before taking two steps back and getting into a stance if you could call it that. Keigo stepped up next to him, tanto jammed into his hand in a reverse grip, their eyes set on their kidnapper.

Urahara removed his hands from his jibei sleeve and unfolded the fan to cover his mouth as he lightly chuckled. The wooden sheath of his blade was already mending itself, and his bemusement at the sudden change in the boys mannerisms was wearing thin. With a light shrug he vanished from their sight and appeared behind them before wacking the orange haired boy with his cane, and kicking the brunette so hard he went rolling at least a four meters from his starting point.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise! I was expecting you both to be dead before the second day even started," he shook his head wimsily while giving Ichigo, who was firmly grounded underneath his foot, a surprised look.

"Yeah!? No thanks to you, Hat-and-clogs-bastard!" Ichigo roared trying to squirm free, forgetting about the blade in his hand.

The blonde ex-captain sighed as he let a paper tag slip from his hand and stick to the boys neck, where it began to glow a pale yellow before sending out a small wave of static that got a startled yelp from the boy. Kisuke looked over to see Keigo, staring hatefully and fearfully clutching his blade like it was his very life and letting it go meant giving that up.

"Now then, tell me Stalker-chan...how was your day in my desert?"

Keigo stiffened and had to force down the rising shudder crawling up his spine. His eyes kept flicking between the cool grey pools in the kidnappers eyes and the glazed look in Ichigo's.

'Sloppy.' He heard a now familiar feminine voice say, not in the chastising manner he had come to expect from the many female presence in his life, but a more disappointed one, like he had failed some sort of quiz or something, 'I hope you don't expect me to always save you Keigo-kun, such a thing is very unattractive.' the voice whispered as a soft and distant warmth traveled down the length of his arm.

His brown eyes flickered green as his quivering lips firmed up and split into a deviously feral grin. His shaking knees steadied as he blurred froward, the effects of which had turned his right femur, patella, tibia, and fibula into something resembling gravel, but it was well worth it as his short sword stabbed through the chest of the blonde with stunning accuracy and resistance. With adrenaline still flooding his system, and the slowly receding warmth he was feeling, it worked through a combined effort to keep the ten-year-old-boy oblivious to the damage of his right leg for at least a short while longer. However, as he had stabbed through the mans chest and let his momentum carry them forward, sending them both sprawling. Keigo's ear was kissed by the quickly rushing sound of hissing air, and the corpse under him was deflating, much to his begrudging relief since he wasn't quite ready to be a murderer.

Long and slender fingers wrapped around his right ankle and gently squeezed, sending a wave of molten lava rushing up his veins to his lungs and then brain. The harsh, agony filled shriek he cried echoed in the vast desert as hot and salty tears pooled in his eyes and instantly spilled out like broken dams, something behind him laughed.

"Jeez kid you really did a number on you leg, you better be thankful your new teachers are such amazing people."

Keigo squirmed mildly, his body shaking from the pain circling through it though he soon saw the familiar blonde hair of his kidnapper as a paper tag was placed between his eyes and suddenly he felt sleep encroaching on him.

-0-

Ichigo rolled over onto his side, soft giggling could be heard as he felt his hair ruffle against someone's thigh. His ear was soon pinched, lightly, between two fingers and given a gentle tug. He whined tiredly before burying his face into the person's calf, still too sleepy to care he was sleeping in someone's lap. The person who was acting pillow let their soft fingers follow the line of his jaw before rubbing his fat cheek in a circular motion.

Sleep slowly drained out of Ichigo as distant memories, which he had done his best to bury, where quickly being pulled to the surface. When his eyes opened and he saw the distant pale green walls of a shop belonging to a kidnapping bastard he felt his nerves return to him, when a hand cupped his chin and turned his head upward so that he could stare into the calm sea of honeyed gold eyes and dangling vines of vibrant purple hair he felt his worries melt for a moment more as a comforting feeling found him.

But it was doomed to last as he felt a distant pressure bearing down on him, it felt like a tsunami pushing against a straw shack. Quivering and letting his hands tighten around the baggy fabric of whatever he was wearing that went past his finger tips, Ichigo soon found himself being embraced in a warm hug. The occasional soothing hush by his ear and stroking hand through his hair and down his back a very long forgotten feeling of affection and protection. Sniffling he buried his head into the crook of their head.

"Kaa-Chan!" He cried loudly as his arms wrapped around them.

He felt the person swallow before sighing in dejection, "Not quite kid…" it said trailing off.

Ichigo stopped, the events of the day and some change flooding back to the forefront of his mind as he slowly peeked to see it was still just the alien woman with purple hair and gold eyes he was clinging too...but he swore that for a moment there...that, that she was the one…

Ichigo slowly stood and took several steps back útil his back met with the wall. They were alone in the room, only the silence as their company. Ichigo breathes shaky breaths as his hands opened and closed at his sides, his blade wasn't at his side or visible anywhere in the room. That sole fact was enough to allow despair to swallow him, ignoring he was back in that hat-and-clog-bastards shop, ignoring the fact that Seishin was Kami knows where away from him, and ignoring the fact that he'd have to explain the fact that he was dead to his dad, and Karin, and Yuzu, and just considering that conversation during breakfast was breaking his heart. He slid down the wall, hands covering his face to better ignore the woman in the yukata sitting before him while he continued to agonize over his situation.

The door to the room slid open and Ichigo flinched. He couldn't deal with this, with anything right now, he didn't want to, he couldn't bare to. Large hands wrapped around his wrist and pulled them down, staring at him was the fuzzy and familiar goat chin of his tou-san, his dad. Ichigo let the hot tears in his eyes pool and spill as he grabbed his shirt and buried his round face in the man's chest.

"It's okay, it's okay Ichigo...I'm here for you…"

It took a second but the words registered in his head, and after a moment more Ichigo snapped his head up, reddened face, tears streaming down his cheeks, and a small line of snot coming from his pink nose. He pushed himself away from his dad before tearing back a fist and punching his father as hard as he could. His tiny ball of fury met dead center with the man's nose but the ex-captain didn't so much as flinch or try to dodge.

No. Instead he cried much like his own progeny was, and pulled the boy back into a hug. Every inch Ichigo was moved he throttled and thrashed and did his damn best to push against his dad.

"You bastard!" He roared pulling and kicking against the man who had him pressed against his chest, arms wrapped around him in what would be an endearing hug in any other occasion now only served to fuel his anger, "You weren't there! We were alone!"

"I know."

He stopped dead. Ichigo let his hands droop to his side as a dense ringing filled his ears, he knew, his father knew that he had been kidnapped, that he was put into and left for dead within some evil sorcerers hellscape. He knew. He knew. He knew! He knew! He knew!!

Ichigo brought a knee up and into his father's gut before throwing another weak punch at his cheek, and quickly following up with an elbow to his shoulder.

"You fucking knew!" Ichigo spat fiercely, still relentlessly throwing pointless hits, "you knew, and you didn't do a damn thing!"

It went on for a minute, then three, then twenty, and by the time he stopped bruises had formed on Isshin face and no one doubted that trails of purple would be found further down his body if he removed his shirt. Ichigo was caught between furiously crying and panting from his exhaustion. Yoruichi had sat patiently in the corner taking in the whole thing, observing the 'fight' between Ichigo and his father, Isshin.

The door slid open again and Isshin, with one eyes swelling shut rather slowly, turned his head lightly to take in the sight of the shop owner, Urahara Kisuke, with the small brown haired boy to his side. Keigo gasped as ran inside his hands wrapped around Isshin's bicep, where a particularly nasty bruise had and was still forming. With a grunt the ex-captain slammed an elbow into the boys side which sent him sprawling. Ichigo huffed at the sight of his friend being sent to the ground like that and with a grunt smashed his forehead into his father's face where, finally, he heard the nasty crunch of his nose going snap and crack.

Ichigo pulled himself free and fell beside Keigo before realising that he was fine, if only mildly bruising on his left side. His hazel eyes flickered around the room and he grunted once more before standing and giving everyone the meanest glare he could manage.

"Answers, I just want some damn answers already!"

Kisuke looked to Isshin, who was cradling his nose, and waited for the man to give a sign of permission. It took a moment but Isshin slowly nodded his head, which Kisuke took in stride. Plopping himself down on a cushion opposite of Yoruichi he motioned for the boys to do the same.

"You'd like answer Kurosaki-kun? Are you sure you can handle it?" He asked, letting the smallest wave of his spiritual pressure overflow and spill into the room, Keigo shuddered and had to latch onto Ichigo was shook his head vigorously.

"I already told ya' didn't I?" the boy said in a snarl.

Sighing Kisuke rose a hand and snapped his fingers twice, his assistant Tessai and Jinta walked in. The large burly man holding Ichigo's katana, and the fiery red-haired twerp holding Keigos tanto. The two zanpakuto were placed beside Kisuke, and just as quickly as they came the two assistants retreated from the room.

"First of all," Kisuke said waving a hand around for flare, "take a look at yourselves."

The two boys shared a look, Keigo less surprised than Ichigo, before finding that their uniforms had been replaced by shihakusho.

"As you can see, you've both achieved harmonization with your sword-spirits, which resulted in their change in appearance, but in turn your souls also changed to reflect this harmonization. Whenever your soul is outside your gigai you will appear in 'the-garments-of-the-dead' or If you'd prefer a shihakusho."

"Ichigo, you two are now, technically, shinigami. Where as Keigo had to overcome himself and go against the hollowfication process to achieve becoming a shinigami, you were born as one…" Kisuke turned to look as Isshin who was being bandaged up by the tiny Ururu.

The father of the orange haired boy sighed but nonetheless turned to face them, "Ichigo, a long time ago I was a shinigami. But I gave that up so that I could marry your mother, and stay here to be your father--"

"Shut up! What kind of a father would have kept this from their kid!? What kind of father would let their kid go through this crap!? Huh!?"

Isshin sniffled, "Ichigo, I never wanted you to see this world, to become part of this, I just wanted you to live a normal life…"

Ichigo stood and clenched his hands by his side, a single thought swirling around his head, "Do you have powers…?"

"Yes...I do…"

Ichigo felt the sting of tears in his eyes as he forced out the words, "Where were you… on the night...that mom was attacked…?"

Isshin flinched and rose his gaze to look into his son's eyes, "I had given up my powers...for a long time to contain...something evil within your mother. It wasn't until long after she di—moved on...that I got them back."

Ichigo turned his head to the ceiling, slowly both his curled up hands came up and pressed against his eyes. Irritation shook his body before slowly his hands fell to his sides and he looked back down at the three adults before him with a dead look in his eyes.

"Okay," was all he said before sitting back down next to Keigo.

Kisuke cleared his throat, "Now that you've both awakened your powers, for different reasons mind you, we, the three of us, will be your teachers. You may come to hate it, is, and yourselves for reason you might never be really able to understand..."

Yoruichi coughed into her sleeve to catch the blondes attention, which she received, and nodded for him to hand over the stage.

"The three of us were captains once upon a time, while I will be handling your physical classes, Shunpo, Zanjutsu, etcétera, Kisuke will be handling your theoretical classes, and Isshin will be handling your Kido training."

Ichigo scoffed as he crossed his arms. All of this, he felt like he was being taken advantage of, and with a bitter taste in his mouth, Ichigo looked back toward his sword. Seishin, and even whilst separated calling him by a fake name was clearly grating in him a lot more than Ichigo had thought. But the previous thought was still rattling around the forefront of his mind.

"Do we have a choice?" He asked now, catching the three grown ups and even Keigo by surprise.

Isshin looked away, his mostly bandaged body making the sound of ruffled fabric, while Yoruichi smiled sadly at the two boys, so Kisuke bowed his head.

"My apologies Kurosaki-kun, Asano-kun, but...if we were to simply leave you as is then your spirits would only grow unstable and you would either be consumed, or your personality would become shredded and dissipate until you became nothing more than a blank."

"A blank?" Keigo asked, not upset at all about not being able to give up the cool new powers.

Ichigo huffed as he rubbed his head. No choice? Becoming a blank? Being consumed without putting up a fight? It was like the universe was conspiring against him, dammit…! Oh great, he was already becoming Seishin.

Ichigo sighed and looked to his dad with a mild glare before reaching forward and taking back his, as of now, unnamed zanpakuto.

"Alright, so we don't get a choice, but what about school? And what about my, our, families? Do we still get to see em'?"

Isshin tensed before looking to Kisuke who smiled gleefully, "Well I'm so glad you asked Kurosaki-chan! Because of course you can!" And he punctuated the sentence with a soft snap of his fingers, at which Jinta and Tessai entered the room, again, and dropped at his feet the limp bodies of Ichigo and Keigo.

"Since you two are no longer technically alive I've had to do some modifications to these to make them gigai, so that you can enter and exit them."

Keigo shivered at the sight of his body, dropped and tossed around like it was. He reached forward and like a magnet his fingers were pulled together with the slightest show of static. After a minute more his entire soul had been pulled forward and he was back in his body, which was still wearing his school uniform.

Ichigo blinked, and then flinched when the physical body of his friend began to shake, and before anyone knew it Keigo had pulled his face up off the ground and was gasping for air. His dark brown eyes took in the room and a smile graced his features, before his eyes gleamed with something vile and his hand wrapped around Ichigo's wrist, the physical one, and threw the limp body at the orange haired boy who yelped at being tackled by himself. His hazel eyes peeled open and he coughed at the feeling of breathing air into actual lungs again, he wondered if that would ever get easier or if it would be worse the more he prolonged his ventures outside of his body.

"Oi! What the hell Keigo!?" He growled reaching for his blade and fumbled when his thumb hooked into his belt loop. His eyes glanced down and he was no longer on his shihakusho, but instead in his black middle school uniform.

Isshin stood from his cushion and bowed his head to Ururu and then Kisuke and lastly Yoruichi. His eyes gently floated over to his boy who was happily conversing with his new friend, as if they were a million miles away from all this, the ex-captain dares to smile, internally flinching from the stinging feeling of his broken lip stretching. Slowly, the goat chined ex-captain, picked up his boy some mild surprise on the boy's part and disappeared from the home in a flash, Ichigo only raising a mild fuss at being carried.

Keigo sighed to himself and stood before dusting off his pant legs. Now to go home...and explain all of this to his mother. His, as far as he knew, completely civilian mother who was more likely to suffocate him in a crushing hug while simultaneously expressing her worry about him being gone for so long without warning and her rage at causing her such unneeded stress. His hands came up to hide his nervous smile, it was good thing he was already dead because she was going to kill him.

Kisuke walked up to the small boy and placed the a reassuring hand upon his shoulder. It was a firm grip but gently holding him steady.

"Are you ready to go have a talk with your parents Asano-kun?"

Keigo looked up with a quivering lip as he pouted at the man, who gave no inclination towards being affected by the boy's begging, pulled from his slip the now infamous tags of paper and crinkled it in his grip, and after being consumed a small flash of light Keigo, Kisuke…,And Yoruichi? Were all transported to the front door of Asano Keigo's apartment.

"Kisuke! What the hell?!" Yoruichi growled as she lifted the blonde by the collar of his jinbei.

Thankfully for the blonde shop owner the front door opened to reveal a, shorter than them but taller than Keigo, tall girl with the same brown hair as their tiny death god. The bowl of popped corn in her hands fell to the ground with a shattering crash as she stared into Keigo's brown orbs. Her lip quivered and she seemed to shrink back for a second before her brows furrowed and she threw a punch right into his jaw that sent him spinning.

"Teme-nii-chan! Do you have any clue how worried I've been?!"

Keigo, now resting peacefully on a heap on the ground, mumbled out, "missed you too nee-san…" his eyes still spinning.

Yoruichi punched Kisuke much the same way and walked over to the young girl before crouching down before her, taller than Keigo she was but that still only brought her up to the Shihoin clan heads navel. The two exchanged a short glance for a second before Yoruichi brought up what looked a lot like a pez dispenser to the girls face and flicked the small lever on the back of the decorative cat head which pulled it back sent a small puff of confetti into the girls face.

She blinked once, twice, then a third time before seeming to finally return to reality.

"Huh? Who are you?"

"Hello there Asano-san, I'm one of Kei-chan's new tutors and I just wanted to stop by and say hello."

She crossed her arms and snorted, "Tutors huh? It's about time he put some initiative into his schooling."

Keigo moaned into his arm whilst Yoruichi bowed and turned to leave, and it was in these moments that Keigo had to wonder just what in the hell he had been signed up for?

 **-0-**

 **A/N:** Hey there one and all! Are you doing well? Have you had some knsteresting reads while I've been away?! Because I've have been away!

But returned I finally have, and unfortunately problems arose, which ended up meaning in publishing this from my phone...welp!

Anyway, whilst I was away I wrote about four chapter for bleach, and one-half of one for Spider-Man. Expect that sometime soon. Alongside these will also be the return of DBC! Yay, Arlick's coming back!

Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and thanks for being patient while I get everything settled.

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	5. Kissing, Training, and a Five Year Trip

**A/N {WARNING} NO PAIRINGS HAVE BEEN DECIDED AS OF YET!**

 **-0-**

Ichigo pulled his head from the desk cool surface at the sound of the final bell. Every inch of him told him to go back to sleep, but then the memories of what Yoruichi would do to him if he was late, again, sent painful shivers down his spine. His hand came up to drag across his face and he finally found it within himself to push along and get going.

At least until he was stopped at the door by the figure of his best...of his old friend Arisawa Tatsuki with her arms crossed. Her brows creased in that way she would always have them when she didn't want to tell you she was angry, but she totally was and needed you to know she was so you'd feel threatened. Groaning Ichigo slung his bag over his shoulder and looked down at her, the last three months had been kind to him as he'd grown almost a whole inch now. Making him a whole TWO inches taller than her, he half considered addressing her as shrimp.

"Whaddaya want Tatsuki, I'm busy," Ichigo drawled with a quick and dismissive wave of his hand.

Scoffing she moved her arms from across her chest to her hips and changed her angry but passive stare into a full on glare at the orange haired boy.

"I want to know when you coming back to Karate practice, I want to know why you're trudging into class looking half dead every morning, I want to know how I never see you paying attention in class but your still in the top fifteen of the class, and above all I want to know why your hanging out with Asano-san?"

Ichigo very nearly groaned, he hated being questioned, a feeling quickly developing from his surprise quizzes with hat-and-clogs-bastard. His old friend seemed doubly impatient as now she was leaning forward so that her glare was right up in his face. He had thought of the possibility of something like this occurring, but as of yet hadn't put any real thought toward how to go about answering these sorts of questions, or what type of excuses he would give. But could or rather should he be honest with her? Or should he spare her from the hellish training of Yoruichi, hat-and-clogs-bastard, and his dad. Though as Ichigo was opening his mouth to tell her off for getting in his face, something he had begun to hate the instant Yoruichi had taken to pressing her face to theirs and then punching them in the back, a giggling girl turned the corner and pushed against Tatsuki right into Ichigo sending the two to the ground.

Ichigo managed to catch himself and then add his elbows for support before his head hit the tiled floor, but his forehead was throbbing and his teeth ached from being clacked against, and he couldn't breath and...and oh shit…

The whole, remainder, of the class gasped in shock and the girl who had bumped Tatsuki had frozen at the beginning of her apology at seeing said karate enthusiast laying atop an orange haired deviant with their lips locked together. Tatsuki, with her face redder than a ripe tomato, stood, turned, and ran like a bat out of hell. And after a moment of contemplation Ichigo rose to his feet and glared, flaring his spiritual pressure at everyone in the room, with the slightest hint of his pressure oozing out of him as he bared his teeth.

"I so much as catch a wisp of this moving around the schools rumor mill your all in for a world of hurt."

Everyone made a collective gulp as the the boy stalked out of the room, Keigo had a tendency to bolt out of the room with the first sound of the final bell and then stand by the gate because he didn't like the idea of showing up to training alone.

So imagine Ichigo's surprise to catch sight of his friend bowing before an awkward looking kid with silky black hair. His surprised turned to shock when he heard the words that he would utter next.

"Y-your the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, would you please go out with me!" Keigo screamed at his feet feeling his blush intensify at the sound of his words echoing down the hall.

"Sorry Asano-kun. But I'm actually a boy."

Keigo looked back up to the shameless cutesy smile the 'boy' was giving him and dropped to his knees as everything seemed to be shattering for him. In fact his body dropped to the floor like a weight dropped into water and rag dolled since his spirit remained standing there, utterly traumatized. The brunette drew his tanto and held the blade over his heart with dramatic tears before seeing the 'boy' crouch down and give his lifeless body a tap on the shoulder, and said.

"But let's still be friend! M'kay!"

Ichigo turned and placed his forearm over his mouth to keep from laughing at his friends misfortune. Thought he nearly jumped out of his body when a finger tapped his shoulder. He quickly turned around when his eyes locked with that of the 'boy's.

"Hi there I'm Kojima Mizuiro, I'm new here so please take care of me."

Ichigo crossed his arms as he took in the boy's greeting, "names Kurosaki Ichigo, just so you know schools over Kojima-san."

Mizuiro smiled with the slightest turn of his head, "Oh I know, but you see my tour guide and me where having so much fun that we couldn't bare to part ways!" He smiled carelessly as he moved a hand toward a somewhat familiar teacher of theirs.

Ichigo paused before the figure came up and gave the boy a hug from behind.

"Come on Mizuiro-chan, there's still a lot to show you in Karakura Town." She finished by licking her lips and Ichigo wondered if she knew that the boy she was guiding around was only ten, possibly eleven, and what she was doing as a teacher and as an adult thrice his age, was most definitely not legal. Probably. Sighing he shrugged the two off not caring in the slightest for whatever drama was to ensue from this.

Ichigo walked up to Keigo's still traumatized spirit and shoved it back down into his body before keeping his pace toward hat-and-clogs-bastards shop. By now he was bound to already be late, but Yoruichi would do something unimaginable if he was doubly late, hell he shuddered at the thought.

 **-0-**

The sound of steel cutting perfectly through air was beautiful in its own way, but it was also immensely grating on Ichigo's nerves as he had failed to do much as get a nick into the hide of this leather monstrosity hat-and-clogs-bastard called a golem.

Keigo threw his tanto, the thinnest line of silver trailing behind it as it soared hideously through the air, which hit flat side first against the beast chest before falling helplessly to the ground where it was quickly pulled away as several leather straps dug down and into the earth with crushing force where it had once been.

"Dammit, we aren't getting anywhere with this crap!" Ichigo yelled at Keigo who readying another throw.

The leather golems, which was basically a bunch of straw wrapped up in literal hundreds of leather belts and given life to a degree, roared before three straps shot from its back to where Keigo sat crouched with his arm wound back. In the blink of an eye the dust under Ichigo's feet had vanished and instead he was sailing through the air with a stunned Keigo in his arms. The two skidded across the sand before coming to a stop a couple meters away from the leather freak.

"Nice shunpo, but your landing needs work!"

Ichigo looked atop a spire to see their Carmel skinned teacher bathing in the wonderfully hellish rays of the sun whilst they narrowly fought off death incarnate. The orange haired boy grabbed the handle of his blade with all the force he could muster before looking at the still shocked form of Keigo, and with a growl he slammed the flat of his blade against the brunettes forehead.

"Gah! What the hell Ichigo that really hurt!"

"Yeah?! Well why don't you try being useful and help me kill that thing instead of sitting around like a statue!"

Keigo whimpered before whining to himself and slowly standing up.

"Alright, do you have a battle plan at least?"

Ichigo stopped, he was a horrible tactician and it was something hat-and-clogs-bastard had loved pointing out. Did he have a plan, no. Did he assume that having Keigo along to help would make over-powering hat-and-clogs-bastards latest fetish monster easier? Yes. Was he going to tell Keigo that his plan was the equivalent to 'hit it harder'? Of course not. So Ichigo readied his blade and smirked fiendishly.

"Rush it now!"

And the two proceeded to let out a burst of spiritual energy and sent themselves sailing through the air, and thankfully this time not missing as the steel edge of Ichigo's blade lopped off the creatures 'head' and Keigo had left his blade stabbed into the belly of the beast. So, with one final guttural roar the leathery monster fell over dead, and not a moment two soon as the timer Yoruichi had set had just gone off.

Speaking of the caramel skinned devil she also just shunpo'ed into their battlefield, a loose and open bathrobe over her bikini clad figure. Though while her figure may have been nice, her face was set in a stern frown, she seemed very unentertained by their defeating of the monster. She looked between both boys, who looked varying degrees of beat up, and schooled her face into one more neutral.

She turned to Ichigo who was nursing a swollen ankle, "Ichigo, you can't expect to over power every opponent you come across, and if that is your tactic then use all of your skills and not just some fancy footwork with a blade. You have at least two good Hado and Bakudo spells to use and I expect to see them. And when you can't beat the odds I expect you to know when to run."

Keigo snickered at the sour look Ichigo was adopting and quickly clammed up when the warm cheek of his teacher pressed against his own and a fist smashed against his spine. He rolled forward and whined to himself as the burning pain spread through his back.

"Keigo, I wouldn't be laughing if I were you. You kept trying to same technique when it was obviously failing. Your lucky this is training an not a real battle or you'd be dead for stupid acts like that. Also, while Ichigo may not have a great grasp on Kidō, Isshin has told me wonders of your training in the art. If you two don't buckle down and realize these glaring mistakes now they'll become habit and get you killed later."

Ichigo huffed as he sheathed his blade, who had still refused to even hint at his name, and turned to look at Keigo and Yoruichi. After three months he thought he'd be close to done with all of this, but as it turns out a month and a half of basic theoretical studies with hat-and-clogs-bastard, physical exercise with Yoruichi, and then Kata's and edge alignment with dad came first. And then another month and a half of beginner lessons, where the only head way they were making was with Yoruichi who was just as impatient as them and taught them as much as she could per lesson, as long as she thought they wouldn't snap a leg or arm off trying it. Which had yet to happen...no instead they had only popped an arm out of it socket or snapped a leg the wrong way.

Yoruichi smacked Keigo across the head and scoffed, "Alright, we don't have enough time for another golem so take five and head on out. Kisuke has something special already lined up for you."

Not one to dwaddle, especially when it meant spending time around a perverted lady who got her kicks from egging on young boy's discovering what erections were for the first time, Ichigo turned and began walking away to the dismay of Keigo who already had their tutors arms wrapped around him lovingly and her face up against him. Whenever she played around like that it only ever meant pain for the play-mate.

 **-0-**

"SHO!"

And with a wild whistle the ball of red hot energy burned through the clay soldier inching toward him, and thankfully he hadn't gotten his sleeve caught in the blast this time or Ichigo, bonus! Keigo sighed a breath of relief as the clay man melted away before sparring a glance to Ichigo who was cutting through clay men like a hot knife through stacks of butter.

Kisuke dropped into the bowl shaped arena and caught Ichigo's blade mid swing and with a snap of his fingers turned the rest of the clay men into clay puddles.

"You want to tell me what you were doing wrong? Or should I just save us both the headache and tell you?"

Ichigo growled and jerked his blade free, before jumping a dozen meters back.

"Screw off! You said take out the golems and I'm doing it!"

Kisuke flash stepped before the orange haired boy and shoved him to the ground. When he turned with a glaring scowl the blonde smiled.

"No. I told you to take out the Clay Men with the spell Sho, something you ignored and proceeded to just hack away at them like some mindless beast."

Fed up. He was fed up. Why should he care about any of this! Screw hat-and-clogs-bastard and his stupid opinion. He stood and sheathed his blade, he hated these stupid spell practices that hat-and-clogs-bastard would always take over because dad was too busy with Karin and Yuzu, and the clinic. With a glint in his eyes and all the spiritual pressure he could muster he drew it all into the palm of his hand and screamed for every bit it was worth.

" **SHO**!"

He completely missed the distortion that echoed in his voice like a certain sword spirit and was more focused on the results...which had him flying back with a burning and bleeding mess of a right hand. It stung, and burned, and ached, and itched, and fuck it was a bothersome injury!

On the bright side Kisuke had dodged out of the way of a massive blast that traveled for some twenty feet before vanishing in a cloud of red smoke. It was clear while the large ball of energy was giving off some warm air...it was a huge dud. A flop.

Ichigo kicked his foot out and grabbed at his hand and hissed at the feeling of blooding running off his fingers, but he nearly screamed at the feeling of his skin peeling off as something bubbled underneath and poured out from the skin. A white syrupy goo that covered the injured hand and in seconds had it good as new, if a bit pale. Rather very pale. Though, the color was thankfully slowly returning.

hat-and-clogs-bastard slowly made his way over and observed the healed appendage before sighing and licking Ichigo.

"Why don't you just hand your body over to your sword spirit, I mean what were you thinking? Pouring that much spiritual energy into an unfamiliar attack, are you trying to tear your arm off?!"

"Shut up! You aren't happy with me ignoring Kidō, your aren't happy with me using it, what the hell do you want from me dammit!?"

hat-and-clogs-bastard rubbed the bridge of his nose as he looked upon his short tempered student and sighed, "All I want Ichigo...is to make sure you and Keigo can survive whatever is that gets thrusted onto you."

The orange haired boy felt his breathing hitch and grit his teeth, he hated when hat-and-clogs-bastard got sentimental, it always dug up memories from when he and Keigo unlocked their powers, and while he was grateful for meeting Seishin...he still hated the fact that he wasn't even given some damn forewarnings!

Hanging his head in defeat Ichigo reigned in what spiritual energy he had left and and looked to Keigo before grunting in defeat.

"Keigo...will you teach me how to use these stupid hado spells?"

The brunette beamed and after a second began nodding vigorously. Both boys missed the small smile on Kisuke's face. He stared between the two boys and couldn't help but wonder what the next few years would be like for these two.

 **-0-**

She sat up, slowly entering was the emaciated figure of her Taichō, Ukitake Jushiro. His bony hands were steady and his pale skins was framed well by his white hair, dark semi-circles underlined his eyes and a thin frown adorned his usually inviting features. His eyes set on her and the frown began to vanish as he sat down opposite of her behind his desk, a small mound of paperwork stacked pleasantly to the side to make room for a sole envelope that was thin as a hair and seemed incredibly messy given the edges of pages sticking out of it.

"Rukia-san, it nice to see you again," he said warmly, his hands unconsciously sliding atop the folder, "we so rarely get a chance to speak anymore."

It was true and through no fault of their own, he was a Taichō after all and that meant the incredibly taxing hours of paperwork and inner division debacles. She'd tried making time to visit with what little free time she had, but her duty to the Kuchiki clan was all encompassing at times and if she put it off at all she'd get 'the stare' from her onii-san, Kuchiki Byakuya, and she'd got the enough without messing things up and ruining her already shaky standing within the clan. Rukia somehow managed to come back to reality to find her Taichō patiently staring at her absently gazing eyes and she blushed.

"Uh! My apologies Ukitake-Taihō!"

He replied to her hasty apology with a mild chuckle, anything more would send him into a coughing fit and at the moment he needed his composure.

"No apologies required Rukia-san, though I'm afraid I didn't request your presence for small talk," his fingers tapped the envelope before sliding it forward where he patiently waited for her to make a move for it. After several seconds she picked it up and pulled it open and began sifting through it, "there's been an increase in hollow activity in the human world, specifically in the Eastern Asia area. Head Captain Yamamoto has requested an increase in thirteenth division excursions to counteract the hollow pandemic."

Rukia was captivated by the twelfth division reports of multiple low to medium level hollow gates opening in mass in the area add to this what kind of hell that would be for all the plus souls there. But then, why show her this? Ukitake brought a hand up to mask his mouth as he began a small set of hacking coughs, after his small fit was done he took in her wondering eyes and sighed, he had hoped she'd be ambitious enough to see what this could mean.

"The area of effect is quite large so sending a single shinigami would be quite...ineffectual, and immensely inefficient. Instead I'm assigning one shinigami a squad of three-hundred to lead into the human world, the commanding shinigami will handle mostly communication between the squad and soul society, as well as commanding units in the case of higher level hollow attacks; the mission is set to take course over a five year campaign with two month breaks between each year, to conclude fully after the five years."

Rukia took it all in nodding along the whole time and set herself with a firm nod, she had wanted some time away from soul society and something like this would be a nice get away, she just hoped her commanding officer would be competent.

"Ukitake-Taichō, who will be the commanding officer of this mission?"

The white haired captain nearly palmed his face at the question, he had really been hoping she was looking for a promotion, since getting her Shikai the only thing keeping her from a seated position was her inability to fill out the advancement forms, tough he smirked when the idea to be theatrical about it came to him.

"Ah, yes you know her quite well I assume. The commanding officer for this mission is Kuchiki Rukia—"

She sputtered and nearly fell back off the seat she was on at that, just what in the hell were they thinking?! And she couldn't just leave like that she had duties to attend to with the Kuchiki first!

"Oh, I've taken the liberty of clearing this with the Kuchiki clan head in case you were wondering. So please pick up your proper briefing forms from either of my third seats and be at the senkaimon at Four-hundred hours sharp. You wouldn't want all those shinigami operating under you to think of you as a slacker!"

She was pale, she was frozen, she wanted to pull out her hair and scream...but most of all she wanted to run into the office of their once fuku-taichō and ask for advice. She felt her breathing hitch as memories of the young vice-captain returned to her, she shook herself from her stupor in time to catch her Taichō gearing to leave.

"P-pardon me Ukitake-Taichō! B-but I implore you to reconsider your choice in commanding officer!"

"Oh? And why would you say that Rukia-san?"

"Because, I feel as though I am unfit to lead a unit of this size on a mission of this scale at the time."

He nearly cursed, her training with the noble Kuchiki's made her sound so robotic and rehearsed at times, it was truly frustrating.

"My apologies Rukia-san, but my mind has been made up and I have more than enough faith in you completing this."

With that he left the office no longer willing to debate the issue, not that she had much ground to stand on, a captain could send hundreds of their own to death against a menos and none would bat an eye...though he hoped he was right in his estimations that Rukia was ready for advancement and could handle this task.

 **-0-**

 **A/N:** Hey all you beautiful readers here's chapter five, quicknote that whole kiss thing at the beginning was more for laughs than romance, since they are still ten currently, plus the idea of Ichigo's first kiss being from his childhood friend just reminded me of some old anime I used to watch...good times. So! In other news; for those of you who read my other stories, all two or three of you, The Dark Spiders next chapter is nearing completion, all that's left is for me to finish the last little bit and read through it once or twice and then boom! Some marvel fannon for all of you, on similar notes DBC chapter 31 is on its way, though thanks to my realizing that Arlick is a giant Gary Stu type, I'm working on changing that a tad. Not completely since this is his story now, but to make him more...saiyan, by which I mean human..

Anyway there's that, here's this, and until next time I'm still me. So stay awesome and...

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	6. Skip Three Years

**A/N: I DO NOT CONDONE ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS.**

 **In this chapter I introduce Yasutora Sado, or Chad, and he has some extreme tendencies and beliefs, along with addressing the fact that Ichigo is very much a different character from his cannon counterpart.**

 **Note: the representation here may not be entirely accurate but that's the point, this is for entertainment. I ask everyone to see what can happen when one person believes they can change someone by being a punching bag. And when another persons is too prideful or some such to share their strife with others. This is an over exaggerated play for comedy!**

 **-0-**

Ichigo sat atop Karakura tower, the full moon to his back and his blade, who had stubbornly refused to give him a name even after three years of working together!, sheathed at his side. He grumbled to himself as he thought about the fact that Keigo was in his body, inside his home, and was peacefully asleep, not that they truly needed sleep anymore mind you, but it was a pleasant a thought as any other to be within the walls of your home and under the comforter to let the night pass you by without a care. But instead Ichigo had been slated to patrol the streets in search of hollows, as it turns out what he and Keigo had been doing under the tutelage of hat-and-clogs-bastard, his dad, and Yoruichi, was a modified version of the six year curriculum of the Spirit Academy in soul society, apparently Soul Society had an academy dedicated to 'cranking' out shinigami. Modified for just two students meaning it was a right pain their ass.

Ichigo yawned before standing and and using his shunpo to step onto the roof of a lower building, whilst he had been doing well with his physical training; zanjutsu, hohou, and other physical torture that Yoruichi had subjected them to, he was lacking in his more theoretical classes. Kidō especially gave him a hard time, though oddly enough he was doing well with his studies of jinzen which were going decently, not to say he always got along with the spirit of his sword, but progress was progress.

He stopped and looked around the streets, now a touch more visible to him than before, there was the odd spirit floating around minding their own business, never more than two and never less than several hours apart…

He scratched his head before running off toward some of the key places that hat-and-clogs-bastard had instructed him to survey, Karakura tower was nowhere near any of them but if he was going to be stuck out all night he might as well enjoy the sights of his home town.

"Ah! Hey you!"

He stopped and turned to a blue haired girl in a pink vest and dark blue jeans, she had glitter under her eyes, which were a pair of naturally vibrant green that shined under the moonlight, but what really caught the thirteen year olds attention was her chest. Y'know, the soul chain, that long metal cord that's attached to the chest of all spirits...? You perverts. Though being the thirteen year old boy that he was he couldn't help but give a second look, and, now that he looked again she did seem to be very well endowed for...what looked to be late teens. He noticed that she was floating, dreadfully slowly, towards him so to save them both some time he shunpo'ed over to her, she yelped and fell back onto her rear. A treat for him, no matter how many times it had happened by now.

"Gah, damn what the hell kid."

Ichigo wasn't in the mood to talk, a state of mind that he had been quick to take to, with whoever this was and in a fluid motion had drawn his blade and slammed the cap at the end of the handle against her forehead. She hissed as the mark began to glow and her transparent body began to turn to fire-fly like orbs. She stared wide eyed and was obviously scared, she was breathing hard and was looking everywhere where bits of her were floating off trying to scoop herself back together. Tears were spilling from her eyes as what was left of her tried to cling to Ichigo who deftly stepped out of her reach, she fell to the ground and looked up to the grim, reflectionless, eyes of the ginger haired boy.

"W-wa-What's h-ha-h-happen-happening to me?" She sobbed out searching for some pity within the boy.

He turned around and sheathed his blade, "your moving on." Mildly envious at the mild peace the spirit would be getting.

And with those parting words she was gone, no closure as to what had happened to the love of her life, no chance to say goodbye, not even a heartfelt talk with one of the only people who seemed to be like her since she died...what a shitty way to go. But...at the same time...it was nice to not be weighed down and shackled to this hellish world any longer.

Ichigo didn't look back as he continued on his way to the graveyard, between the three teachers and his sword spirits annoying ramblings, which seemed to be getting more, and more, and more, and more!, common as he kept studying. He'd had enough of drawn out conversations to last him four lifetimes, like hell he was about to waste time listening to some random souls strife when he could just send them off and be on his way.

The rest of the run to the graveyard was silent, with neither a plus soul nor hollow in sight, sight meaning both in his cone of vision and within his over cast net of spirit ribbons. Learning the spirit ribbon technique had given him a day long migraine, but having a new sensory organ kind of deal was worth it. But he paused when he arrived at the gates of the graveyard, there were several kids, teenagers, all from his class...but amongst them was Tatsuki; her usual tomboyish attire replaced instead by dark purple dress that went to just above her knees with black tights and a pair of purple sneakers. The rest of the kids with her were the generic-dark-haired background extras that he didn't pay any mind to, but what was she doing here with a bunch of these punks?

The irony of him calling other kids punks was not lost on him.

It was then that he noticed she was holding hands with Furusake Kurota the newest member of the karate club...it took him a few more minutes to realize that the small gathering was a group date/test of courage thing. Aside from Tatsuki and Furusake-kun, the only one to catch his attention was the new exchange student Yasutora Sado, the guy was huge for thirteen and his appearance screamed disheveled-silent-loner, it made him want to gag every time he overheard rumors of girls, and the occasional boy, claiming to have spent a night of passion with the half-Japanese boy. Ichigo sneered at the sight and gave a look at the graveyard, nothing even resembling a hollow was slithering in there...as far as he could tell, he cracked his knuckles and closed his eyes and cast a long net of ribbons and found...nothing, there was no danger of an immediate attack via hollow, that said, one could show up later, and what kind of responsible death-god wouldn't stick around to ensure the well being of a group of stupid, and likely horney, kids.

He wasn't sure why but he gave Tatsuki another look and glared when he saw Furusake's arm around her waist. He growled to himself and sat down atop the gate, if the kid got handsy then he'd give something to be afraid of. One of the girls shivered and looked around, Ichigo drew in the small wave of spiritual pressure he'd been leaking, thankfully it was too weak for Yoruichi or hat-and-clogs-bastard to pick up unless they were actively feeling for it, and Keigo was a likely to pick up his trail as he was to start kissing the feet of the cheer squad.

The orange haired boy crossed his arms and waited for Tatsuki and Furusake-kun to take their turn, it was a longer wait than he realized as the previous couple had cheated by skipping out on walking the full route and was simply making out behind a tombstone. Pricks. Though once they had the courtesy to finish up, seeing as the idiot had forgotten to bring any contraceptives, they merely made out and fondled one another for around a dozen minutes before getting up and fixing their clothing. They didn't do a very good job.

The two walked out and while the girl feigned innocence and fear from the route whilst handing over the flashlight, the boy was chuckling and high-fiving some of his friends. Scoffing Ichigo let himself fall behind Tatsuki and walked behind her and Furusake, his hand was right around the middle of her back...and slowly sliding down. It was instant reaction, like when you touch a hot stove and jerk away, Ichigo shoved his foot against that of the boys back and sent the two sprawling on the ground.

"Gah. What...the…?" Tatsuki asked before opening her eyes and realizing the compromising position they were in. Her hands pinned down, one of his legs between her own, and their faces only inches apart. She didn't miss the heavy line of red across his cheeks of the fact he was slowly descending upon her.

She very nearly squeaked but at at last moment when she could feel his warm breath against her own lips he paused and squeaked himself before falling of her her and clutching his groin, she looked up and for a brief second she swore she saw a very steamed looking Ichigo...in some black kimono?

Ichigo grunted and decided that he'd better leave before he ended up killing the kid, but with any luck Furusake would assume she just kneed him in the family jewels and would stop trying to get familiar with his...with his friend.

 **-0-**

She sat back down in the tent they had set up, the soft velvet cushion absorbing her and even the hard wood of the table holding all of her paperwork looked like a perfect pillow, it had been an irritating three years and all she could think about lately was getting back to Soul Society for that heavenly two-week break, even if the first two had been...less than pleasant what with the cold stare her nii-san always gave her.

"Kuchiki-taichou!"

She groaned and stood back up just in time for some grey haired shinigami with the blue arm-band signifying his division of origin, this case being third, to run in out of breath and a mortified expression on his face.

"Yes? What is it?"

"A-a menos grande has appeared in sector S-4! The patrol there has mobilized and sent out calls for reinforcement."

Rukia wanted to cuss and palm her face, she had told them to keep their spiritual pressure in check; with this many of them they were lucky to have only brought in one menos.

"Gather up patrols six through twenty-three, we're to meet at sectors four and provide support as necessary!"

He bowed his head and ran back out of the tent, she pinched her nose and walked out and turned to the fukutaichou of squad five.

"Momo-san, please begin writing today's report for me."

The small shinigami gave a soft squeak of confirmation and entered the tent to begin the arduous process of writing the days report.

 **-0-**

The sun was high in the sky and all Ichigo wanted was to be out of class and out of his gigai, the night had been long, and it had been boring. He had seen not one hollow, and only two more plus souls each more intolerable than the last.

The bell signifying lunch break chimed and students began to shuffle. He considered hitting the cafeteria with Keigo, but it seems Mizuhiro beat em' to it, so next option was to find some punk asses and beat them up as to provide a quick reprieve before getting back to the boring grind of school work. Though his dreams of furthering his reputation as an orange haired demonic delinquent would unfortunately have to wait until he got done getting nagged at by Tatsuki, who was standing before him with her arms crossed.

"What do you want Tatsuki?" He finally barked out.

She had been increasingly cold to him since their little 'incident' during middle school and despite his best efforts rumors had spread like the plague, though he did beat up a fair number of people that year.

"You wanna tell me what you were doing at the graveyard last night?"

He stopped cold. How had she seen him? As far as he knew Tatsuki was the most Spiritually unaware person in their class, and to see him when he's surprising his power? No way, it's a fluke! He must've messed up somehow...or she was more aware than he was willing to admit.

"Graveyard? Do I look like I give a rats ass 'bout test of courage? Leave me alone."

She raised a brow at that, "I never said anything about test of courage."

Oh...oh shit…Yoruichi would tear him apart for getting caught! Fuck! Fuck! Fuckity, fuck, fuck! Deep breath!

"What else would I be doing at a graveyard?"

She scoffed at his timely reply. Shrugging, he stood up, it was so nice being taller than her, and looked down at the Karakura's very own Bitchy-Karate Queen.

"'Sides, Whatta you care what I do on my free time?"

She seemed flustered for a second before scoffing again, "I just want to make sure you aren't getting into trouble…"

That was almost cute, she was back to trying to protect him...and yet it was infuriating that someone he could very feasibly kill with one punch wanted to be his defender. He decided, entirely of his own, that he was a hundred-and ten percent done with this and proceeded to ignore Tatsuki as he stomped out of the room. He needed to punch somebody...and hard.

And through some miracle he had managed to run into the Karate clubs newest member. The brown haired dip looked up and had the decency to look vaguely surprised by the scowling ginger approaching him, before panicking when said scowling ginger threw a punch...

A loud smack echoed in the halls and everyone stopped and stared. Furusake was on the ground, trembling as he looked up. The orange haired boy's fist was caught in the hand of one half Japanese Yasutora Sado. Ichigo clicked his tongue and pulled his hand free, his hazel eyes cold and yet burning as they flared at Sado, he looked down at the trembling classmate before grunting once more and turning to walk away.

"Using your strength to pick fights is wrong, what would your parents say if they found out you were picking fights?"

Sado didn't have time to react as a foot connected with his chest and he went slinging down the hall, before slowly coming to a stop at the feet of another student, he did his best not to look up her skirt.

"Shut the hell up! Next time you wanna preach find someone who gives a rats ass!" He turned and stomped away. Leaving everyone speechless.

Kurota stood and made his way over to Sado, the dark skinned boy was already halfway up and breathing hard the whole way. The mark on his shirt was clear that the kick had met center chest and everyone had disbelieving looks that their resident delinquent had sent the bigger of the two flying, sliding, and skidding to a stop like that.

"H-hey, thanks for that. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't stepped in."

Dado seemed to ignore the thanks from Kurota as he stared after the orange haired boy who was stomping angrily. He could almost see the rage wafting off of him, and felt as though he should do something…

He began after Ichigo.

 **-0-**

Ichigo walked off the school grounds and just kept going until he heard a voice.

" _You wanna talk about what the hell that was?_ "

Ichigo clammed up. This again? That sword spirit of his was getting seriously chatty lately...but, did he want to talk about it? What was there to talk about anyway! Tatsuki did...did what?

" _You really gotta get a grip._ "

Ichigo sighed, right, part of his soul, part of his head, part of his whatever else. His eyes cracked open and he stared at the alley's around him. He was still pretty riled up. He was in some serious need to beat on something.

" _Ha!_ "

'Shut it.'

As said, he really needing to...bring something near death. With a sigh Ichigo began casting a net of spirit ribbons before finding some rather bored looking thugs. The lot of them had black on blonde hair, and wore black pants with white t-shirts. They crowded around one guy who wore red on black and had loads of piercings with a tattoo of a snake around his wrist.

"Oi!" Generic bad guy number one-hundred-and-twenty-two called out, "who da' hell er' you!?"

A feral grin broke across his face and before he knew it his hazel eyes flashed gold. In a moment he rose both hands and gave everyone the bird.

"Names Kurotsuchi Sanji, come at me punks!"

" _A fake name?_ "

'Of course.'

Ichigo avoided the jab from the first punk and spun into a kick that sent him and his buddy and then into the wall, he jumped over a quickly approaching jock, their biggest guy aside from red-shirt, and landed feet first on the dude behind him which sent the poor punk sprawling. He caught a fist aimed at his side before hauling the guy off the ground with one arm and throwing him into another one. It was pretty easy to doge people who had zero to absolutely nothing in terms of spiritual pressure. The jock from before pulled out a butterfly knife and dude some intricate flips with it, it looked pretty pathetic tucked into his massive hand but as it turns out he was pretty good at using it. Though getting a light cut on the fabric of his jacket had been the limit for Ichigo. He gave the bruiser an uppercut that took him off the ground and a good foot into the air, on his way down he gave the guy and elbow to the stomach.

That was it, all that was left was the red-shirt, the guy who just watched his cronies get beaten to shit.

"You got a name? Or should I just keep calling you red?"

He snickered and stood up. His black leather jacket rolled off his shoulder and he rolled his shoulders. He charged at Ichigo who didn't move until the very last second when he flooded the alley with spiritual pressure. Red stopped, his hand shaking, knees trembling, eyes watering, and a bit of a piss stain appearing on his pants.

"W-wh-What...what in the hell are you…?"

Ichigo's grin widened as he shrugged, never breaking eye contact, and then for shits and giggles he leaned in and whispered in the guys ear, "Death."

With that he slammed a spirit charged fist into his gut and let him drop to the floor. He looked around at his handiwork and smiled, fifteen pricks in under ten minutes, new record!

" _You dirty girl…_ "

"Fuck off."

Ichigo spat before snickering at his handiwork up until he caught a rat, rather, a cat. It sat atop a fence her golden green eyes staring holes through him.

"Hey Ichigo. Wanna tell me why your beating up human punks? Or should I tell Yoruichi and let her sort you out?"

Ichigo clicked his tongue and stuffed his hands into his pockets. It was irritating, no matter what he did that bastard cat was always around and would very soon tattle in him to Yoruichi-sensei. Damn.

"Ain't none of ya' business anyway. Just fuck off will ya'."

The cat, it was Yoruichi but Ichigo still hadn't realized, blinked once before shaking its head and scampering off.

Ichigo turned to leave but found a rather impressive wall blocking his path. Fucking Yasutora Sado.

"Da' hell do you want now?" He scoffed, he wasn't in the mood to get preached at.

"Your suffering. I'm not sure why, but your keeping it bottled up."

" _Haha! This guys got ya' pegged king!_ "

'Shut. It.'

Ichigo cocked his head to the side and scowled. All that stress relief he just went through was now gone, and if this kept up he'd really need to get some tougher thugs to curb stomp. He sighed and brought his hands together while taking in a deep breath.

"Sado. You have one minute to get the hell out of my face...before I beat yours in."

"You don't strike me as violent person. Your doing this because it's all built up and you can't tell anyone about it, and if you did you feel like it'd make you weak, like lesser than yourself."

"Forty-seconds."

"You need someone to be there...you can't hold it in Kurosaki-san, it'll just destroy you from within."

"Twenty-two seconds."

"You've lost someone...this is—"

Sado never finished that sentence as Ichigo slammed a fist into his face that sent the teen flying through the glass window of a flower shop across the street.

" _Touchy subject?_ "

Ichigo growled as he turned to make way for Hat-and-clogs-bastards damned shop. Fuck today.

 **-0-**

The soft, rhythmic, beeping soothes him slightly, and after a few minutes of listening to it he pulled apart his eyelids. Beside him say a darker haired girl he didn't recognize, and on the other side of him stood a brown haired boy he also didn't recognize.

"Hello, my name is Yasutora Sado."

The black haired girl looked upset, more so than she really should of been but he couldn't much focus on that, or anything really. The other boy looked more confused than anything, his kept looking at Sado and quickly looking away.

"I'm still not use to customs here...but I think this is when you introduce yourselves…"

They flinched and shared a look. The brown haired boy went first.

"Umm. Hi, my name is Asano Keigo. And that girl over there is Arisawa Tatsuki. And, we're here to apologize for our friends actions. He. He's usually more restrained than this."

Sado looked between them for a second and could almost instantly tell why they were friends with Ichigo.

"No don't apologize. It's fine, I don't wish to see anyone destroy themselves when they're so constipated emotionally. Besides I saw what he did to others, I can take it better than most."

Keigo coughed into his hand, 'Guys a total masochist with a thing for gingers…'

Tatsuki sighed and hung her head, "That doesn't mean he can just go and beat up street punks and kids from school to relieve stress!"

She may have been more upset about the fact that the rumors of Ichigo and Tatsuki being an item got back to Kurota and now he was too scared to be around her.

Sado nodded before smiling at them, "you make a great point Arisawa-san, but I still believe I'm more than strong enough to take whatever Ichigo can give."

Keigo looked away and coughed again, 'I seriously doubt it!'

Tatsuki sighed and bowed goodbye before grabbing Keigo and dragging him out the room.

"Alright Asano, spill it. How come Ichigo and you have been so buddy, buddy?"

"We work part time at a shop together."

She blinked at how fast he blurted that out. No way in hell that wasn't some rehearsed lie. So, what was the truth? She glared at him, and he seemed completely unentertained by the whole thing.

"Look, Tatsuki, Ichigo and me just get along okay. I'll try my best to keep this from happening...but...it is what it is."

'Besides. Better street punks and Yasutora-kun, than me!'

She crossed her arms and began tapping her foot. While she wasn't entirely satisfied, she'd just have to wait until later.

 **-0-**

His blade cut through the stone golem as if it weren't there at all and in a second he was cutting through another, and another, and it just kept on as he took on the horde of slow moving rock monsters. He jumped back to avoid its club like arms before rushing back into ruthlessly sever the arm at the bicep and then stab through its chest, where the rune making it move around as such was located, and then moving in to another.

A few dozen meters away Kisuke and Yoruichi were watching the...display, withheld breathes. It was mildly unnerving seeing the sole shinigami cut apart so many rock puppets, but also kind of joyous to see the fruits of their labor. In the end, Kisuke couldn't care less about what happened to the street punks Ichigo beat up, none of them died anyway, and all he cared about was the well being of his students and successful lab results. Yoruichi however was more than a little pissed off that Ichigo had not only ruined a date between a friend of his and her boyfriend, but had used his powers so carelessly in public.

"Hey Yoruichi. I think...we may want to start prepping these kids for Shikai training." Kisuke happily offered.

The caramel skinned girl with bright purple hair scoffed, "Absolutely not. While they may be getting close, they both still have a ways to go before we can even begin to consider that as an option."

The blonde huffed in disappointment before looking back to see Ichigo finish mowing down the last of the rock golems. He looked to his own Zanpakuto and thought back to his last sparring match. Yoruichi was no fun, the minute she started losing she'd use her lightning and destroy the landscape, or strip to distract him.

He used shunpo to step into Ichigo's sending range and then again to get within speaking distance of the the orange haired boy who was caked in sweat.

"Hey! Ichigo, how about a spar!"

Ichigo look towards hat-and-clogs with disbelief, the blond bastard never offered spars. In an instant he got his second wind and was back in his favorite stance.

This was going to be loads of fun!

 **-0-**

Ichigo walked onto the school campus feeling all kinds of hell. His entire torso was bandaged up, courtesy of Ururu the shop nurse, and most of his right arm was as well, as it usually ended up being after heavy sparring or training of any kind.. He spat at all the cross looks he was getting. And then he came across this guys.

"Ichigo. Are you ready to talk?"

"Dammit...look, I'm seriously not in the mood. So how about you go screw before I cave in your rib cage."

Sado looked down and smiled, his arms spread apart and he stood there, firms as a rock.

"Ichigo. I will help you."

A tick mark grew on his forehead, he hated one a lot of things, but pretty high up on that list were assholes that decided shit about his life without his opinion.

"Help. Me? Alright, do me a favor then and fuck off." Ichigo said before he gave Sado a round house that sent the teen rolling across the school courtyard before he slammed against the thick trunk of a tree. After moment he stood and gave Ichigo a thumbs up.

 **-0-**

 **A/N:** Another chapter for all you amazing readers. As it turns out, my spider-man fic is kicking my ass with its final stages, and as for DBC...well, the less said there the better. Anyway, not much to say, Chad is here, your given a look at the further deviations between characters and their cannon counterparts.

 **REVIEW REPLIES**

 **Lazymanjones96:** Thank you, hopefully it continues to entertain.

 **Nurim(GUEST):** Of course they're up for discussion, in fact if you have a certain pairing for characters in mind feel free to comment it and say why, I have my own ideas but none that are set in stone...yet, anyway. Yes, in the orginal series it was just Ichigo's inner hollow that wanted to take over his body, but i'm treating this like some silly puddy and molding it to fit my needs and just be closer to how I wanted to write this sort of story. As for quincys...well. just be ready for when those crazy buggers start showing up.

 **Thanks for Reviewing!**

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	7. The Fateful Encounter!

They pulled back the strings and with three small pops confetti launched into the air and covered the scowling fifteen year old.

"Happy birthday Ichigo!" Keigo said wrapping an arm around his long time friend and fellow student. Around them the usual stock standard shop belonging to the blonde mystery man, or man child if Ichigo was to be believed, had been redecorated with cut outs of the number fifteen hanging around and a bright yellow handmade banner with Keigo's exact words hung over the door that led into the part of the shop where most of their training was held.

Behind Keigo stood a strangely, and unfortunately comforting, familiar group of people. Ururu and Jinta where standing around, the young girls perpetual blush a tint darker whilst surrounded by all her friends and the crimson haired Jinta was telling her off for being so damn nervous all the time. Yoruichi was hanging off of hat-and-clogs, not that he seemed to mind much, and both were doing some quite mumbling to one-another. He spotted Tessai with a box of tissues in hand and as close to a sad look as the stoic giant had ever shown in his five years of knowing him.

The orange haired boy rose a hand and scratched his head. It had been painfully obvious that they would do something like this, considering they did the same for Keigo, and as much as he was glad to spend time with people close to him...parties weren't much his thing. He patted Keigo's shoulder before walking into the room and greeting everyone, as quickly as possible, before stepping past the threshold and into the bordering room and dropping free of his body with a sigh. He looked down at his limp body and thought about just how weird it was to felt cramped inside your own flesh and bone. He turned to see Keigo snickering and the rest of the Urahara-shop crew giving smiles, he had gotten enough cheery looks from his surprise party with his sisters and father not twelve minutes ago. All he wanted was some white relief now damn it.

Keigo reached behind him and pulled out a small rectangular package that was wrapped in a strawberry printed paper with a bright green bow. As Ichigo took the gift into his hands he quietly let the brunette know that if this gift wasn't legendary he would send him spinning. Three quick tips later and Ichigo was staring down at a collectors edition Konohagakure forehead-protector, stainless steel plate with dark blue cotton. He looked up to see his long time friend smirking.

"Since your such a closet Otaku, I figured you'd like having this."

And while the 'closet Otaku' part had gotten him a punch to the shoulder, the ginger haired boy quickly gave him a one armed hug and chuckled as he put the lid back on the box.

Before he knew it Jinta and Ururu were up next handing over a small booklet. He took it with a curious eye before realizing that it was a manga, a handmade manga by these two. Ururu's name was at the top with the credits of story writer while Jinta's was at the bottom in bright bold letter proclaiming him as the illustrator or artist.

"This is a special preview copy, your the only one who gets to read it so don't go losing it got it!" Jinta scoffed before turning away, his face bright red.

"We hope you enjoy it." Ururu added in a murmur afterward.

He bowed with a slight smile and as he head cane back up he was restrained within a headlock. Yoruichi gave him a big bright hug that left him gasping for air afterwards before giving him a pamphlet. The cover was blacked out, and it had a bright red line along the edges keeping him from opening it, when he looked up to question her she clasped his shoulder and gave him a peck on the cheek before whispering in his ear.

"That's your one way ticket to training hell…"

When he snapped back to reality Tessai was next in line with a gift. It was a black windbreaker, with a detachable hood and sleeves, along on arm was a red stripe with a golden colored fifteen in a dark circle. Ichigo smiled at the practical gift and bowed to Tessai who muttered something about them, himself and Keigo, growing up so fast.

And lastly came up his mentor, the man of infamy and glamour. He wore a lamp shade for a hat, and wooden clogs that clacked like a mother, but it didn't get much closer to someone you could really count on than this, mostly anyway. So when he held out what looked like some kind of bondage straps Ichigo had to fight every fiber of his being begging him to kick the man straight through the wall of his own shop, though he didn't miss the surprised looks Yoruichi and Tessai were giving him.

"Ichigo...I've known you for years now, I've taught you for years now... and after all your hard work I've decided that as your birthday present...I'm letting you take the graduation exam early!"

The orange haired boy nearly fell over, they had told both him and Keigo that since it was just two students they didn't get to graduate simply by being competent in the techniques of the shinigami, no they would need to achieve Shikai for that, and to do that they'd have to learn the names of their blades...which required earning their trust, and so many other things, so with a heavy heart Ichigo held the leather cuff in one hand and observed the thick steel chain that fell off of it. He had the oddest feeling that this was going to hurt. If he recalled Keigo's experience with the early graduation exam...then yeah, this would hurt a lot.

The group then organized their things before heading down the ladder into the _near_ infinite dessert room that Urahara had in his basement. Keigo recalled the time they had been fourteen and to celebrate the beginning of summer break Urahara had thrown them deep into the dessert and ordered them to survive for two weeks with little to no supplies. It was kind of funny actually thinking about it now, though Ichigo had been all kinds of pissed off and moody for the weeks following.

Now that they were all gathered, Urahara began instructing Ichigo on the process and how lengthy it could potentially be. Without much hesitation the boy drew his zanpakuto and stuck it into the sand before wrapping the cuff around its handle and stepping a good distance away and sitting down before closing his own cuff.

The effects were near instant, as the sand startled to tremble as Ichigo was bathed in a deep blue light before it exploded outward, turning some of the sand to glass and just hearing the pained screams of the young shinigami made Keigo shudder. A fond memory came to him as he recalled doing this same thing...and failing.

Then like a switch was flipped it stopped and silently sitting there was Ichigo with a dazed look in his eyes.

"And now...we wait." Urahara said leisurely before moving to retune tithe comfort of his shop.

"Wait, what?" Keigo asked slightly confused.

"Well that was the sudden connection being tripled down on. They were forced shake hands sort of and now we just have to wait and see if Ichigo's zanpakuto spirit is willing to share his name...and power."

Keigo nodded and looked toward his friend with growing determination. He might not have passed...but Ichigo was super strong..there was no way he wouldn't!

Keigo had no idea why the thought of Ichigo getting stronger than him or rather achieving something he decidedly couldn't made him feel envious.

 **-0-**

Her eyes kept moving from the crudely hand drawn invitation to a certain fifteen-year-olds birthday and to back to the picture of her early days in the public dojo. It was frustrating, and it was kind of embarrassing, to be so tied up over this! She had been so dumbfounded when she was given the invitation that she nearly fell out of her chair during class, her face regained the familiar warmth when she recalled it.

How the final bell had just rung and she was gathering her things, she paused when she noticed the usually slower than dirt Ichigo was already packed and about to leave, but when he made that turn and came to her desk, she had to very blatantly ignore the soft murmuring around her, he just stared in a way that was...scary...but alluring.

"I tried to tell them not to bother but they made plans behind my back. My sister, Yuzu, wanted me to invite you." He had said effortlessly dropping the colorful invitation into her hands.

Half of the classes collective jaws smashed against the floor while a few actually fainted!

"Don't feel obligated or anything, I never told them you'd actually show up." Add to the fact that he wasn't being forceful about her going and she was basically speechless.

Was he burying the hatchet? Did...did he want to be friends again. Thinking of the old times brought her back to the memory of when they were nine and she had stepped in to stop him from getting tormented by some bullies from school where he very aptly decided he'd rather get shit stomped before being saved, when she asked him about it later he very calmly and maturely explained that he never wanted anyone he cared about to get hurt because of him.

She didn't realize till later just how much she had missed having him as a friend…

Her time within her thoughts was cut short as a knock came from her front door, her eyes skirted from the invite to the clock handing on the wall where she realized that it was already nearly seven at night!

She grabbed the paper invite and stuffed it into her pocket. Before running to the door, the ball of sunshine standing there should have been expected seeing as how few other actually knew where she lived. Inoue Orihime, the biggest dutz she had ever met but with a heart of gold and personality like a magnet, her best friend since turning fourteen. Though her culinary skills left a lot to be desired.

"Orihime? What are you doing here?"

The girl smiled, "I'm here to pick you up for Kurosaki-kuns birthday party!" Eh?! Since when had this been decided! Tatsuki tried to take a step back but an iron grip locked around her wrist, "and I'm so glad you already got dressed, now we can go ahead before the party's over!"

Somehow the door was locked and her way out and before she could muster the words to say anything Orihime was knocking on the Kurosaki's front door, wait, when the hell had they gotten here they just left her house dammit!

The tall figure that opened the door had a goofy smile and a small girl, comparatively, resting in his arms. She had soft blonde hair, vaguely orange but not quite, and a wide smile on her face until she saw Tatsuki standing there.

"Oh no! Tatsuki your late, you missed Ichigo-nii's birthday!"

Tatsuki had no clue why that made her feel so relieved.

"Oh no! See Tatsuki I told you we'd miss it...now how are we supposed to wish Kurosaki-kun a happy birthday?!"

A glint, a vaguely evil glint, appeared in Isshin's eye before he smiled so wide that it didn't seem possible.

"Oh? My that's awful to hear. But don't you worry, you can stay over and wait for Ichigo to get back with his friend Keigo-kun and we can all wish him a happy birthday...again!"

Tatsuki didn't have a chance to decline as she was pulled in slowly by Orihime, Ichigo's dad, and Ichigo's sister. All the while she was thinking to herself, 'why me…?'

 **-0-**

He didn't need to think about where he was, there was only one place he was aware of with an axis as royally fucked as the one he was currently occupying. No, what he was asking himself was where the other inhabitant of this realm was.

He took to jumping from skyscraper to skyscraper until he finally found the sulking soul.

"Yo...I'm like eighty percent sure you already know why I'm here."

The off color Ichigo grunted, still not turning around.

"That said...I won't force you to do this…"

That fit a mild rise out of the spirit who began to laugh.

"Like you even could...look Ichigo...do you seriously think your ready to learn my name, to have that sort of power...that temptation."

"After five years of giving you nicknames, yeah I'd like a proper name for ya', on the other hand what do you mean temptations?"

"Where two pieces of the same soul dumbass. When you use a zanpakutos power it can be overwhelming. It could erase you leaving only the power behind. One half doesn't really work well without the other, and in our case...let's just say we need all the stability we can get."

Ichigo took in a long steady breath before smiling and staring down at his blade.

"Hell yeah I'm ready! And besides. There's no way I'm leaving here without a name for ya' at least!"

Ichigo flew forward, blade drawn and readied. Like a reflection his sword spirit did the same thing. It was funny how both of them had that nasty habit of never taking a step back or retreating when fighting one another. It was a pretty simple dance, move in, circle the other, Clash two to thirteen times, step apart before beginning a long chant.

"Sho!"

The clashing fire sending them meters apart where they'd take in the damage the other had gotten and quickly move back in.

The two connected, over and and over and over and over again...until it happened.

The sword spirit blurred out of existence and Ichigo could only gasp as all the air was forced out of his lungs, the burning pain within him deafening as the ringing filled his ear canals. He turned on his heels and swung his blade, only to split the air that had been displaced behind him. Another kicked connected as he was sent rolling, and again he was hit, and again, and again, and again. It kept like this, a needless, pointless game...a beatdown until finally the orange haired boy went flying, his back smashing against the skyscraper, which it technically was since the sky surrounded them like a bubble, hot air brushed against him...and stuck to his face?

His fingers came up and brushed against his cheek. Blood, a long stream of it too. He clicked his teeth as he forced himself up and readied his blade. His unswollen hazel eye, the right one, frantically searching for any residual spirit energy to latch onto. A trail, if he couldn't catch Seishin with normal sight, then he needed to find his trail and predict movements.

Though his hopes were for naught as the building he stood upon cracked apart and he was sent flying from the nastiest uppercut he had ever suffered. Pain, his pain was unbelievable. His right eye was seeing everything through red, and his knees felt like wet noodles, but he couldn't give up. He wouldn't give up.

"Sorry King...but you not _quite_ there yet." the distorted voice filled his senses. Literally. He could feel the cool touch, hear the soft disappointment, taste the regret, smell the lies, and see the longing in it all. But it all vanished as his remaining good eye caught sight of the sword spirit before him. His blade stabbed into the ground three, maybe five, building back and upon his face a thick white mask of bone with deep black marking along the top right of the forehead.

"There's a lot that you still need to learn about me...yourself...and us, but...you on the right track."

Ichigo couldn't remain upright as his left knee gave out, causing him to kneel. His hand clutched his side as the burning pain felt revitalized all of a sudden. His hazel eye rested upon a sea of red and his busted lip quirked slightly into a smirk.

"Damn...and here I really wanted to brag about this to Keigo…"

His sword spirit smirked before bringing one hand up and pulling the mask off and letting it disintegrate into the air around him. His slow walk over to Ichigo's beaten form was agonizing.

"Since you fought so hard, and took your ass-whoopin' like a real trooper, I'll give you something to call me by…"

Ichigo cocked his head up to looked into the golden eyes that stared into him, almost through him.

"Call me...White."

And with those words, Ichigo blacked out.

 **-0-**

Rukia sighed, it was almost done, it was almost done, she had been repeating that phrase in her mind everyday since halfway through the fourth year. Now it was truly almost over, aside from the face that most of her forces, not counting the few casualties and what not, had returned to soul society since she had stated to patrol the relatively small town by herself. Though Momo had argued against it she had decided that since it was only three months in the small town where there had been next to no hollow activity reported she'd rather not have a little over two-hundred idle shinigami that were aching to see home for a well earned vacation.

So of course during her first damn patrol she spots a hollow with enough brains escape her after she cut two of its fingers off to save some poor soul of a girl chained to a follower shop.

But. It was simple fix, all she had to do was feel for the hollow before it got to far...wait...WHY WAS THERE SO MUCH INTERFERENCE!

 **-0-**

Tatsuki turned to her side, a heavy line of red spread across her face as the generic store bought shampoo scent rose off the pillow and inter her nose. Here she was, lying in the bed of some boy, no, not some boy, Ichigo. Here she was lying in Ichigo's bed, with her clumsy friend, Orihime, blissfully snoring beside her. Her cheek pressed harder against the pillow as her grip tightened on the sheets, every second of her thoughts occupied by the idea of Ichigo coming home late at night, probably after beating up some punks or Sado, and not knowing what to do at the sight of two girls in his bed...her face warmed and she did her best to ever forget she had even considered something like that.

Thankfully for her, at that moment a short woman in a black kimono phased through the wall like it wasn't even there and stood in the middle of Ichigo's room, looking around with an angry look. Tatsuki, in her infinite wisdom, slowly for out of bed and delivered a nasty hit to the back of her head that sent the girl tumbling.

The Karate Queen of Karakura scoffed as she crossed her arms, "You know, for a cat burglar you aren't very good. Letting someone see you like that, but that magic trick of yours was pretty cool."

Rukia turned around and gasped for a second, her head was pounding now, and with wide violet eyes she had to ask, "y-you can see me…?"

She received a dumb stare from Tatsuki whose arms were now sagging.

"No...I can't, I just randomly swung at the air and decided to start having a full conversation with an imaginary friend…"

Rukia nearly scoffed but before she could argue with this gifted human the house, clinic(?), they were in shook and caused Tatsuki to fall forward and into a compromising position over the smaller girl.

'WHY?! Why does this keep happening to _me_?!' Tatsuki thought as her hands brushed against the relatively flat chest of Rukia. Their legs a tangled mess, and their faces centimeters apart.

Rukia, pushing back a flushed feeling pushed the girl off and bound her with one of her favorite spells.

"Sai!"

She disregarded the fact that everyone in her unit called her a bondage freak for having such a powerful version of the binding spell without incantation. She however didn't disregard the fact that the human girl seemed to be struggling against it decently. What an odd girl.

She turned and ran down the stairs and paused. A man who held an uncanny resemblance to someone she recalled stood before her frozen, another human that could see her? What in the hell was with this town!? She disregarded that thought as she nodded and drew her blade before heading into the barren street, it's almost the beginning of summer you'd think there'd be more civilian traffic even at the ungodly hour of eleven, she swiped at the creature and bounced back as its webbed hand crashed down smashing apart the concrete. She rolled to the right as a tanto flew past her and stabbed the bicep of the hollow before it was tugged back by...a silver string? Her head swiveled, seeing as for the moment the hollow was distracted by whatever damage that tanto had done, and she caught sight of a brown haired shinigami with a decorative looking zanpakuto and a worried look in his eyes.

"What are you doing?! Kill it!" He screamed and before long she realized that all that his blade had done was provide a brief distraction, and piss it off, so she turned quickly and thankfully held up her sword to take up about sixty percent of the damage as the hollow bastard bit into her shoulder, it took all her willpower not to scream in suffering, so instead she pushed against her swords handle and cut into the bastards bony gums and took out a tooth as she was released. The hollow stumbled back and roared in pain, it's other arm was slowly becoming a washed out teal color, apparently the tanto had done something, if very slowly.

Rukia fell backward, and into the arms of a flustered Tatsuki, the gifted human seem panicked and afraid...damn the other shinigami she had seen was nowhere in sight...and that hollow would be back with a mighty vengeance soon.

"Listen girl...these people here, they're in danger, we're in danger. If you wish to survive to protect...you must do exactly as I tell you."

Tatsuki trembled for a second before swallowing the lump in her throat.

"W-What do I need to do?"

"Stab my blade through your heart." Rukia deadpanned, Tatsuki sweatdropped.

"Your...you're joking right?"

Rukia sighed and held her blade up, where the tip was soon gingerly gripped, the gifted human took a deep breath before plunging the blade through her chest, and both of them were consumed in a deep blue flash of spiritual energy.

When Rukia opened her eyes she was clad in a white yukata, and the gifted human...had her soul ejected from her body, given the physical one that was resting in her lap, and her soul stood proudly in a black shihakusho, a broad katana strapped to her back with a blue and yellow color scheme and a leather sheath with a large black belt across her torso. The gifted human wrapped her hand around the handle of the blade and drew, the energy within her rushed out and created a small vortex of air. Tatsuki looked up at the story tall monster and felt the tug at her muscles, like she had been doing this for as long as she could remember, like a drive or some kind of switch had been flipped.

She rushed forward as the Hollow roared and began heading for her, and in one single slash. She bisected the beast and fainted from the sudden overuse of her powers, whilst the monster faded away in a cloud of black ash.

Keigo looked upon the scene with disbelief...

 **-0-**

 **A/N:**

So get this, I actually had this done and chapter eight almost done, and then decided I didn't like the first draft as much and scraped it. Meaning that all of chapter eight didn't make any damn sense! So I went back, after deleting that chapter, and rewriting one big part of this one, and one smaller part of this one, and it turned out, in my honest opinion, decidedly better than the first one. Also, how many of you thought Ichigo was about to get shikai? I'm genuinely curious!

 **Nurim:** Cool ideas, and thanks for the suggestions. But whilst I'm planning for two of them, I'm honestly afraid of trying the Aizen one and just completely fucking it up. And the idea of Yandere Kenpachi reminds me a tad of Unohana...but I might put it into an Omake...maybe. Also, if you have more go ahead and leave them in a review or PM. To be honest with you only the bare skeleton of this is actually planned out. Like major arcs and characters for those arcs are hardly made. So feel free to suggest more and I'd be more than happy to look them over and see if I could do the ideas justice... Also, what would I call female Aizen? or if I did something like that should the name remain the same? Hopefully that answered your review, or rather replied to your review in a satisfactory manner.

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	8. Parallel Conflict?

Insanity, adrenaline, vertigo, and some weird pounding in her temples. That was her whole world, it was all she knew as she came forward, sword in hand, to cut down some monster, it was all she knew as she claved the thing in two, and it was all she knew as the looming beast suddenly screeched and turned to dust before her very eyes.

Adrenaline vanished, insanity retreated to some distant corner of her mind, and that weird pounding in her temples dulled and was replaced by her drumming heartbeat, though vertigo seemed to take over the missing spots left by adrenaline and her lack of sanity. Her knees shook as her hands tightened around the grip, the handle, of her blade. Her entire body was trembling, shaking with such force it was a miracle her hair ties hadn't come undone.

Tatsuki very nearly jumped out of her skin when a hand clasped her shoulder, her body instantly on auto pilot. Though whatever she had intended to do fell short as it felt as though two conflicting entities were pushing against each other in some awkward slap fight over something trivial and stupid. She tripped over herself and onto whatever it was the clasped her shoulder. Essentially she slammed her head into Keigo's chin and had sent the two of them tumbling.

"Well...now I know why you're in karate and not ballet…" moaned the brunette shinigami as he massaged his aching chin.

Tatsuki, whilst clutching her head wanted to swear so badly but was also too stupified by the familiarity of the voice to say anything.

"You there! I am commanding officer Kuchiki Rukia, what is you name and division?" The petite, raven haired, death god loomed over them.

Keigo sat up, all the while ensuring to help Tatsuki while being very careful not to touch anywhere that would land him in hot water with the now spiritually powered girl.

"Don't have a division, and the name is Asano Keigo."

Rukia was stupefied. He didn't have a division, but his zanpakuto was very clearly not an asauchi, also by the looks of it he didn't have a very deep well of spiritual pressure or presence. Typical, she sends home the majority of her troops and then gets placed in the horrible situation of having to give her powers to a newly made substitute and then she comes across some renegade death god? Izuru was right, her luck was absolutely horrid!

She straightened herself before rubbing the creases from her new garments, no point in trying to fight against it, not that she could very well fight in the condition she was in.

"Very well then Asano-san, I hope you won't mind answering some question for me."

Keigo sneered, he hated getting questioned. He hated forced formalities doubly so, his smile wavered as he raised his hands in surrender, letting the baggy sleeves roll down to reveal hundreds of paper tags wrapped around his wrist. Tatsuki reacted first, not by choice for it was as if every muscle in her body was compelled to act, her blade raised between her and Keigo with her shielding Rukia from whatever those strange tags could do.

"Worrying about something Tatsuki? Don't bother, these things aren't dangerous...usually…" Keigo laughed ripping one from his arm and crumpling it in his fist. The bright yellow light spilled from his fingers and quickly they were consumed in a ball of its all encompassing yellow light.

Rukia, as soon as the vague numbness in her muscles vanished, and jabbed Keigo. Her fist slammed against the tip of his nose but he didn't even flinch. No, instead she recoiled as the stinging pain filled her hand. She hissed while hugging her injured hand closer to her chest, her head turned to the embodiment of broken rules that was standing behind her...but it felt comforting. Having her at her back, like suddenly the world that weighed down on her, all the problems waiting for her in Soul Society… they weren't as heavy.

"Miss. Kuchiki, I see you've come across one of my students, and you've done me the service of walking him back. How can I repay this kindness?"

Her eyes couldn't open wider than they were, her shoulders couldn't grow any stiffer, and her trembling knees were only a hair's width from collapsing right out from under her. The familiar strength from her mess up, Tatsuki, she swallowed the growing lump in her throat and counted the seconds before it sank in her stomach. Turning she was face to face with a face she hadn't seen in a very long time. Her eyes glistened as a layer of tears threatened to spill out, suddenly her body felt like it could move again, the sudden pause that had come over her was vanishing as she barreled into the open arms of a blond haired shop owner. Better known to most as Mr. Hat-and-clogs...if you were to ask Ichigo anyway, but he's known more accurately as Urahara Kisuke.

The blond wasn't soothing, comforting, or anything resembling someone you'd want to hug during something resembling an anxiety attack, but Rukia wrapped her arms around him as best she could, her fingers barely managing to lock together at the small of his back. Her face was pressed deep into his chest, her warm tears spilling from her eyes and immediately vanishing into the absorbent fabric of his jinbei. After a second of this his arm wrapped around her while he stroked her hair, his lips thin as he made quite shushing noises. The two remained this way for a long moment while Tatsuki silently observed them, and the rest of the desert room they were in. Keigo has a tired frown on his face as he looked around, no Ichigo in sight. Some odd sense was telling him that already was not good...but what could he do? Track him down only to find him testing his new shikai on whatever hollows dares cross him...the idea left a bitter taste in his mouth that he'd swallow anyway, and deal with the shame of the after taste. His eyes were drawn back to the new, old, shinigami by her sniffling and mumbled words.

"...you left...why?"

Kisuke but down on his lip. It hadn't exactly been his decision, nor his desire to abandon home and technically country, though the more apt word would be plane of reality or dimension...he blinked as he realized he was off topic. His lips that had remained the whole of their reunion as a line was now a smirk. Cruelty, misery, agony, suffering. These words, as simple and clear to define as they were never felt as blurred and foreign from him as they did now, as they did whenever he got to be with her.

"I did." He finally replied, his eyes glistening, as if he'd actually ever cry in front of someone…

Her fingers couldn't hold together anymore, so she took fistfuls of fabric to ensure she remained locked around him. Her head was starting to pound, whether from the beginning stages of reiryoku withdrawal or from the pounding despair of letting go of Kisuke and having him disappear again. Though logic would say it would more likely me the former than the latter. Her grip began to loosen, and her eyelids began to come crashing down with the force of ten moons slamming together. Her lips parted, she heard no words but hoped they escaped.

"Why...did...you...leave…"

Her limp body pressed lightly against him, as if he was some chair. He tightened his hold on the girl, he didn't mind, he'd never mind. Not ever again. He wanted to set her on the comfiest bed they had, answer all of Arisawa Tatsuki questions, get Keigo to clean his personal bathroom since Jinta forgot today, but all of it would have to wait. Rukia suddenly began to spasm in his hold, her arms flailing, and legs kicking helplessly, her eyes blinking erratically. He cursed. Loudly.

"Keigo, go retrieve the small black case by my desk in my personal office! Arisawa, come help me restrain Rukia!"

Both panicked teens jumped to action instantly, Keigo vanished up into the floating square in the sky that had the metal ladder coming down in with a single leap, while Tatsuki ran over and applied pressure to her origin of her powers legs. The girl being held down pulled and pushed against them and after failing miserably to escape began to scream a gargled and guttural kind of scream that would make a banshee pale. Her eyes appeared to roll back into her head, as her chest seemingly caved in with ever shuddering breath, her stomach contracted so tightly that her restrainers feared her ribs would stab through. Sweat seemed to be bursting from ever pour like a geyser, and blood was running from her nose, Tatsuki nearly fainted, the sight of this girl, so small and helpless. She couldn't decide between wanting to throw up or to crying in the fetal position.

A soft thud pull the tiniest bit of her attention away, as if years of developing a habit made her peer behind her to spy Keigo running up to them with a black rubix cube in hand. The brunette gave the blond an unsure look before he threw the cube into the air as the blond simultaneously released his hold on the girl. In a flash they had switched, Keigo restraining the petit Death God, and Urahara looming over them as he quickly went about undoing whatever locking mechanism was the cube in his hand.

Tatsuki looked into Keigo's unsteady eyes, she saw in them answers. Maybe not whole answers, possibly just fractions of fragments, but answers...that he was keeping from her, and her quintillion questions. Her ears burned for a second, not sure as to why, she clamped her hands tighter around the girls ankles and tried to drown out her pain filled screeching, Urahara seemed to occupied to notice the screaming as he undid his puzzle box. Hadn't the guy ever heard of key locks?

Keigo looked up to the blond, as if something within him was overflowing and would no longer remain within, "I thought you said that was stupidly dangerous! Why can't you get Ichigo or Yoruichi to transfer reiryoku to her!?"

Tatsuki felt her breathing hitch, the words 'stupidly' and 'dangerous' often went together, but she hoped beyond hope to never have them apply in her life.

Urahara didn't stop fiddling with the cube, instead he simply spoke as if to himself, "As much as i'd love to not have to use this Ichigo ran out after failing his shikai exam, and Yoruichi went after him. I doubt either of which will be back before morning."

Brown eyes were wide at the news. Ichigo, THE Kurosaki Ichigo, berserker extraordinaire failed to pass...just like he had. While his happiness to see his friend fail only added to his shame and guilt, he couldn't help the joy that was mixed into that particular pot. He wasn't being left behind…

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

The pastel white colored mask of bone chipped, and cracked as a fist slammed into it, splinters flew into the air without a care, and the pasty green gecko creature attached to the mask was sent flying back into the wall of a parking garage. Its misty white eyes strained to find its assailant, its hunter, but it found it. And it was terrifying. A head of hair like a raging fire, and clothing blacker than the abyss within himself, and a raging monsoon of reiatsu he had no hope of being able to consume.

"White!" Ichigo hollered into the warm air, racing forward as to finish off the hollow, "you cheating fuck!" the teen sent a foot forward, it slammed into the concrete with crushing force, eating all his momentum, as he gripped the scabbard of his blade and performed an average show of Iaijutsu.

'I didn't cheat, you've been given' me nicknames since we first met, now I gave myself one. It'll do until your no longer such a pussy.'

Ichigo huffed, his blade already back in the scabbard, his thumb messaging one of the diamond shaped beads around his blade. The orange haired boy turned to see a black cat sitting atop a minivan, with a disinterested stare in its eyes. Three years, and he still hadn't realized the cat and Yoruichi were one and the same.

"Whaddaya want now?" He asked, walking toward the entrance, he already felt more hollows closing in on him, and he preferred open fighting environments as opposed to cramped cluttered ones, though he did not lack appreciation for them when fighting against the stronger or more conniving opponent.

Nobody knew why Keigo chose that moment to sneeze into Tatsuki's face.

"I hope you plan on taking out all the hollows your tantrum is calling in and not just the ones that are 'challenging' enough for you." The cats strangely gruff voice echoed in the partially filled garage.

The ginger haired Death God shrugged as he leapt through the gap in the concrete pillar and drop kicked a hollow back to street level. While falling, he drew his blade and did a quick and clean horizontal cut, turning his skyboard to bunch of sinful ash. His hazel eyes were drawn to his left as a small crowd of low tiers were coming down the road in a nice cluster for him, his scowl parted and he donned a feral grin, not unlike a certain color inverted blade spirit he knew. After a second longer and raising his blade he jumped into the eye of the storm and began hacking away, his psychotic laugh of joy chilling the air. Yoruichi stared at the boy from her perch still within the parking garage and frowned, as much as a cat could, before turning her head away. It was unbefitting of a proper shinigami to act such a way, much less one that was her student.

At that moment, Byakuya Kuchiki, leader of the Kuchiki Clan, sneezed. His onyx eyes hovering over the laboured document of his, now dribbled with spittle and flecks of snot. In that moment he swore to find whoever spoke of him and gut them, along with any associates of theirs.

"White!"

Ichigo would cry, repeatedly, as he sliced apart the several feet tall manifestations of negative emotion around him. His hazel eyes were bloodshot and his pale skin was getting redder with each swing. His blade had never felt heavy, it was an extension of himself, that which could never truly weigh you down, but in that moment between the blade coming down and needing to bring it back up to block or slash, nothing had ever felt heavier.

"White!White!White!White!White! **WHITE!** " He roared, his slashes now crookedly hacking apart the monsters around him.

His cheeks were flushed, a rosy red color, sweat ran down his face, and arms, like a waterfall. Tears were streaming from his eyes. There were no hollows left around him. None left in this particular sector of the city. He had nothing left to pull his mind away from it, from his failure. His failure to grow stronger. To become deserving. His head came back up as his jaw came loose, his arms raised to his as he roared to the sky, a crack of thunder alongside his shout, both competing for dominance, as streak of lightning filled the now cloudy sky.

"Why aren't I good enough!" He screamed to no one before stabbing his blade into the street, the reiatsu cracking the pavement and splintering and cracking the ground beneath his feet.

The teen rested both hands on the handle of his sword, of his companion, as he fell onto his knees. Pain, a deep wholesome pain, racked his body as he fell to his knees, tears still pouring from his eyes. He shuddered there, by himself, longing for something that he couldn't figure out. His shuddering stopped as a warm hand clasped his shoulder, if he was at one-hundred percent he would have turned and slashed at whoever was standing behind him, but as dead as he was feeling, the warming comfort was appreciated, especially since it was the one teacher he didn't find explicable hatred for. She withdrew his blade from the earth, and pulled the both of them off to the side of the road, under a nice tree that had billowing branches swaying in the wind. She laid him down first, his blade a bit off to his side, before sitting down and fixing his head on her lap. That fact that it was bare didn't seem to bother him.

Her fingers began to play with his sweaty hair, his tired breathes against her thigh. She felt his jaw moving slightly, he was struggling to speak. Her fingers followed the line of his jaw until they reach his chin, where she pulled his head up, and the softly mumbled words escaped him.

"Thank you...kaa-chan…"

Yoruichi smiled down at her student, gently fixing his head back to a better resting position, he'd need his rest.

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

The box hissed open, the small black cubes falling to the sand with unceremonious practice, remaining in the shop owning ex-Death-God's hand was a clear octagonal prism like shape, with a sphere within it that glowed vibrantly with a whole spectrum of colors, the most prominent being blue, white, and violet. The mans grey eyes moved from the object in his hand to the girl before him. He faltered. And began to laugh. For it had been many centuries since he had done something as trivial as faltering. But here he was, failing to act because of a connection forged long ago, from a friend of a friend. His smile vanished as he held the object over her chest.

"For desired results, press against bare skin and hold for twenty seconds. Bah, might as well hold a supernova in your hand while taking a crap!"

He reached forward and pulled away a fold of her white yukata, revealing her flawless skin and bare chest. Keigo blushed and looked away, Tatsuki blushed and stared intently. Kisuke shuddered and pushed his hand forward, the second that the object was a millimeter from insertion it began to glow vibrantly, and defiantly. The force pushing against him incredible and infuriating, the sand blowing away from them kicking up a storm, Tessai would clean it up, his two new assistants screaming from the leftover force pushing against them.

'Nineteen!'

The final second of an eternity sure ticked by slowly, Kisuke thought as the skin on his arm boiled away and the muscles began to tear and tendons stretched beyond their limits. His lungs burned, his head was pounding, his hair was a mess and his hat was blown away by the thrice damned wind, and all he could think about was whether or not Rukia would survive and then be okay once this was all said and done. Ichigo would never forgive him for killing a powerless girl with his invention. Keigo would never trust him again. Tatsuki would want him dead. Yoruichi would always feel sick in his presence, why did that one sting so much? Tessai would probably cry, but be fine after. Ururu and Jinta would likely avoid eye contact for a while before returning to being his helpful clean up crew.

"Twenty!" He screamed as all the force vanished, and object sank deep into her chest, he fixed her clothing, and they all took a breath of relief when she began to breathe normally.

"Kami….I need a better way to do that…." He said to himself as he pulled a small bronze band from his left pocket and slipped it onto his damaged hand. Battered limbs and scars were well and good for esthetique but they didn't do shit for scientist needing to properly operate complex viles and machinery.

"Keigo, be a sport and put some tea on, and then get Tessai to make better tea."

The brunette grumbled to himself as he slowly made his way over to the stairs. Leaving only one blond shop owning ex-shinigami and one highschool girl turned (unformal) substitute soul reaper. Oh what fun was to be had in his lair this evening!

Tatsuki didn't skip a beat as she met his gaze, "I have questions."

"Ask away, the immediate problem has been resolved."

"These powers, that girl, all of this. What exactly is it all? Explain please."

"Ah, well in that order the powers are those belonging to a Soul Reaper, though the title is subject to change, 'that' girl is Kuchiki Rukia of the Kuchiki clan, a noble home in Soul Society which is home to all passed spirits and the Soul Reapers that...well 'reap' them. All of this, I take as being my shop and its purpose. I am an exiled Soul Reaper, who opened shop in the world of the living to help newbies who come through these parts, support my lifestyle, train my spiritually aware students, and the rest is a little complicated and...well to be honest above your pay grade. So, how was that?" Kisuke asked with a genuine smile.

As Tatsuki was given center stage, her eyes were rolling and steam was coming out of her ears, her mouth open, "Pay? Clan? Exile? Strawberries!?" the poor girl mumbled to herself.

"Er, right, how about we drink our tea, and when my whole team, and Rukia, are awake and present i'll give you a slightly better run down...more specific to you this time."

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

The sun was barely above the horizon line when the violet eyes of the raven haired Death God began to flutter open. Her everything felt sore, like she'd just spent the day being Zaraki Kenpachi's punching post. Her groan didn't go unnoticed by the six occupants lazily drinking tea around her. Apparently her cot was just a futon spread out on the table...the tick mark on her forehead said a million things clearer than she ever could. Though before she could begin to dish out righteous fury, the door was slid open to reveal an orange haired shinigami with a painfully uncanny resemblance to certain someone, and...Yoruichi!

"Hey everybody, we're home!~" Yoruichi sang in a cheery tone, the teen in front of her cared little for it and even less for whatever had occurred during his absence as he simply sat in an open spot and began to prep his cup to drink tea.

"Y'know Yoruichi, I'm not sure how Isshin will react to your robbing of his cradle." Kisuke chuckled, dodging a thrown cup from the furiously blushing teen.

Yoruichi stuck her tongue out as she took a seat between him and Keigo. Everything about her screamed, relax and in control. Something that made Rukia immensely jealous. Though her thoughts of jealousy were cut short as a hand gripped her shoulder, ow, and pulled her off the table, ow!, where she crashed onto the substitute to which she bestowed her powers, ow!

With the assistance of the dark haired girl she was raised and took a seat on the other side of the boy, the only cushion remaining available.

Kisuke cleared his throat to speak when Yoruichi suddenly squealed and produced a polaroid camera out of nowhere to snap a picture. When it came out she flashed the picture of a bored looking Ichigo flanked on either side by a pretty girl.

"So young, but already a heartthrob."

The three of them stared between each other and only the boy in the middle scoffed as the two girls looked down into their laps, were their balled fist clung to the fabric of their clothes. Clearly, one of those things was not like the other.

Kisuke cleared his throat again, holding a second just in case any more comedic relief moments were fate bound to interrupt him, they had a tendency to show up in a predictable manner. When he determined that fate was would behave he clapped his hands, and smiled to the group.

"Welcome, my friends and colleagues-"

He was quieted down by a loud ringing. A push cart rolled into the room, seemingly by a will of its on, and stopped beside Ichigo. Where it simply kept ringing. The ginger haired teen looked between everyone, avoiding Tatsuki, he was in no mood to deal with whatever it was that had happened to her, even if it looked like Kisuke had let her join the club so to speak. With a grunt he picked up the phone.

"Yeah, who is it?"

" _Ichigo, it's your dad...Yuzu's in the hospital…_ "

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

 **A/N:** Wooh! Chapter eight! Man, I've had the first paragraph of this just sitting on my computer gathering dust for the longest! And then, today at 02:23 I get out of bed and turn on the computer and start typing, it's currently 04:44 as I type this A/N and my god am I happy. Also, this is the first cliffhanger of the series if I'm not mistaken.

Anyway, not much to say, here's the chapter, there's the cliffhanger and set up for stuff. I guess Ch.9 will be out in two weeks too but I make no promises.

 **Review Replies**

 **Nerocurse:** Firstly, thanks for the review. Secondly, yeah man darker, angsty, berserker Ichigo is cool. I'm glad you saw that, I always wished they did more with the human cast, and while I won't make everyone a powered member of Team Urahara-Shop (work-shopping that name currently) they'll still have arcs and growth through the series...I hope.

And that's it for this one, so thanks for being here with me, lets get this wrapped up and published so I can get some sleep...I'm seriously wired right now XD

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	9. Explaining Painful Indecision

A substitute Soul Reaper. This is a human who had been granted the powers of a shinigami for one reason or another. The original wielder of the power performs this transfer by stabbing their blade through the chest of receiver, granting them their power. From the few instances of this occurring we have seen that it often leaves the power giver without any reiatsu to speak of, meaning they enter withdrawal and become sick. A note for trivia's sake is that there is a belief that both parties need to be willing to participate in the pseudo ritual for the transfer to work properly, but that's just a happy rumor without much evidence to it.

The Substitute receives the powers from the original shinigami meaning if they were an average human the power fills them like water would a bucket, it remains there for whatever the reason. Now imagine leaving that filled bucket out on the sun for a while, the water evaporates and moves on. The same happens here, the power within the ordinary human remains for a while before eventually returning to its original home.

Though that won't be the case here. Arisawa Tatsuki, is many things but a 'normal human' simply is not one of them. For the past five years she has been in close proximity to two walking reiatsu factories. Urahara Kisuke's students. Kurosaki Ichigo, and Asano Keigo. A strange phenomenon had occurred you see, what had once been a normal girl, become a dormant vessel. The residual spiritual energy that lingered in the air wished for a shell to inhabit, and Tatsuki provided that. While providing that, it turned her into a special human, one who could see spirits. One who could hold this spiritual energy without trouble. But this is where the problem arises.

Tatsuki's body is used to containing spiritual energy, but since she had some beforehand the energy transferred into her by Kuchiki Rukia is clinging to her and the energy within her body. This could be a good thing, though more than likely it is a large negative. For you see substitutes are a big no-no in Soul Society.

If this were a normal case, Rukia could have sat back and waited four or five months for the power to return to her and then be off on her way, however due to the appearance of Tatsuki it has now left her in the position of being rendered powerless. Now another note about substitutes is that not only do they receive power from their bearer, they receive skill. Tens of years of practice and study instantly moved over to a no name human with but a thrust of a blade. As a side effect though the receiver of the powers feels an 'otherworldly' connection to the giver. In that connection comes a slice of emotions, ranging from brother or sisterly protection to a longing lustful sort of emotions.

From firsthand experience it can be quite irritating for both parties, though another thing about substitutes is their capacity for growth and their overall potential.

Urahara brought his cup up and took a long sip, after their orange haired friend had dropped the phone and Yoruichi had taken the liberty of being filled in by Isshin before hanging up. It seemed fate was content enough to let him explain the function of a substitute...for the most part. Though the ones around the table, that cared even remotely, were staring at him with cross faces. Those being Tatsuki and Rukia, Keigo was also staring but more for the unfairness of it all, a cheat, a shortcut, the perfect road to what would essentially be godhood and he had missed out.

"So, I'm stuck within the world of the living until you find a way to get me my powers back…?" Rukia said, a soft frown on her face.

Urahara shook his head side to side in thought, "More or less, though one way I've heard of working...well, I don't think you'd like it…"

The raven haired, out of commission, shinigami slammed her hand on the table, making all the tea cups rise into the air, before bellowing out her reply, "I'd do anything. We must keep this from reaching Soul Society. The things they'll do to this poor girl, to you, your students. We have to do something!"

Urahara looked down to his lap, his frown becoming more pronounced. He had thought of that already, he had wanted something to be done, but nothing really could be done….short of killing Tatsuki, though he didn't like that option too much. And he was sure one or both of his students wouldn't agree with that option. So...there was nothing he could do at present.

"You have to suck it out of her like a venom from a snake bite. From wherever you stabbed her, you must suck back your power...even though this would only net you a small percentage of what you put in." He said, meeting her eyes.

Both girls flushed for staring at one another. And before Rukia could voice whether or not she was okay with doing that, regardless of Tatsuki's opinion, Kisuke cut her off.

"Though, it wouldn't work anyway, now that I think about it."

"Huh?" Tatsuki and Rukia said together.

"The method I used to keep your soul body stable has made you, lets say, rather incapable of holding spiritual energy for a while. So the only real choice you have is to sit in a gigai until the side effects wear off and I devise a better way for you to get your powers back." Kisuk added a very helpful smile to help them swallow that particular pill, "till then, I suppose this makes Tatsuki my newest student!"

[ **BLEACH THY SOUL]**

The world around him was a blur. An indistinct mess of speed lines, and pointless colors that appeared overly saturated. The words, those damn words, kept repeating in his head as if on some accursed loop.

' _Ichigo, it's your dad… Yuzu's in the hospital…_ '

He couldn't stop hearing it. He couldn't get it out or push it to the side enough to focus on anything else. He couldn't picture the location clearly enough to shunpo to it. He landed atop a lamp post, his chest rising and falling heavily. His stamina was still shot from his sudden breakout fever the night before, and the past exhaustion was determined to remind him that he wasn't at a hundred percent yet. He bent his knees and jumped toward the roof of a standard hour not far from his perch, he ignored the burning pain and his screaming joints.

 _Yuzu's in the hospital…_

His hazel eyes trembled as he began to run a little faster, the large medical building was finally in his sights! He felt his reiryoku swell as he gave one final push and burst through the sliding glass doors, he had never been good at phasing he'd left that trick to Keigo, in the front of the building, the shower of glass and sudden explosion giving the staff stationed there a mini heart-attack, and the sickly folk around the lobby all screamed in shock. He ignored all of that, turning to the stairwell and heading for it. He could feel his goat faced father's reiatsu, finding him, and by extension Yuzu, would be a cinch. Easy as pie. No sweat. Where the fuck was he!

Ichigo stopped before a door on the third floor before wrapping his fingers around the grip assister, this would be the nineteenth room he'd check since that goat faced bastard was projecting and scattering his presence. The hand hold he was gripping cracked and the door rattled horribly as he forced it open. It rattling clacks waking the dark haired man from his nap, and scaring the dark haired girl who'd been peeling an apple. Her dark eyes seemed to shimmer with surprise and shock as she looked toward him. Her lip quivered, and she seemed to be adopting a shocked expression.

He stomped into the room, and wrapped his hands around his old man's collar, "Explain. Now!"

Unfortunately for Isshin, Yuzu chose that moment to scream, a bloody murder sort of scream that would go perfectly in a horror movie. It ear piercing high pitch shattering whatever Ichigo had been thinking. He even became upset when she looked around the room in some terrified kind of way, like she couldn't...see...him...

Then it clicked. He had been running around faster than most cars to speed, he had been gliding through the air with unmatched grace, eat your heart out Yuri, he was gripping the handle of his blade like his life depended on it. But it clicked, a little late though, he wasn't in his body.

He bit back a swear, he'd never swore in front of them of his little sisters, he wasn't about to start now. Even if only one of them could see it.

A hand grabbed his collar and began to tug his away, "I'll be right back girl, need to step out to take a call!" Isshin happily proclaimed as he exited the room, his gaze fixing on his boy in a deadly serious sort of way.

Ichigo was in no mood. His baby sister was laying in a hospital bed looking paler than White, and shivering like she was in the arctic in swimwear. His pressure rose and clashed against his father, the hall they stood in rumbled under their feet, and the nurses walking around began to stumble, and some of the sicklier patients fainted from the pressure bearing down on them.

"What. Happened?"

Isshin let of on the pressure, Ichigo doing much the same, until he stood in a more relaxed hall with his son. His son who was a shinigami, "Yuzu and Karin were attacked by the hollow that sacked our house." He said calmly seeing Ichigo's brows rise in shock.

"It happened while you were trying to unlock shikai, it didn't last long, I couldn't leave my body because a shinigami from Soul Society was there, a noble one, and Tatsuki came down soon after…."

Ichigo wanted to head back to Urahara's shop and punch the both of them over the head for failing to do something a basic as fighting a hollow, most likely some nameless mid-tier, it didn't get much simpler than that!

"Keigo showed up to provide support, the noble shinigami got distracted and then suffered a wound from the hollow. She then transferred her powers to Tatsuki who killed the hollow. Before any of this however I had rushed down stairs to see both my girls in the monsters clutched. My byakurai got it to release them…." Isshin took a deep breath in through his nose, "We found that Yuzu took more after Masaki than me. She had enough quincy blood and spiritual presence for the hollow taint to make her sick. We got it taken care of for the most part. All we can do now is wait."

Ichigo stared into his father's eyes, his ears were ringing upon taking that information in. His baby sister, his powerless, abilityless, baby sister was attacked by a hollow and his father did nothing...to preserve his identity. His teeth ground against one another, his nails dug deeply into his palms. He reared his fist back and let it remain there, trembling with force in the air. Images flashed through his mind. All the times his dad could have done something. But didn't. Everytime he did something, when it didn't matter. Everything he did just pissed him off. His fist flew and sent the goat faced father flying back into the tray table.

"I'm goin' hollow huntin' don't bug me!" He roared into the room before stomping away. Yuzu was sick, but she was being treated, Karin was scared, but she'd get used to it. Isshin was still being worthless.

He broke out a window and jumped out, suddenly the pain in his limbs wasn't as bad as it had been. So with bent knees he fell to the ground floor and then continued on, he needed to find some hollows and soon...or get back to Urahara and talk to White.

[ **BLEACH THY SOUL]**

Tatsuki stared into the tired grey eyes of the shop owner before her. He'd run through his explanation of Substitutes once more for her, and she was painfully aware of the skills that were not her own. She'd been at this for about five minutes, but she really wasn't fighting. It was muscle memory, instinct, all reflex...it made her sick. She hated using other peoples strength, and worse still she hated that this strength was using her. She was stuck with it until Mr. Urahara figured out a solution, and she hadn't missed that he hadn't told Rukia about the thing he stuck in her chest. She still wanted to know about that.

Their blade struck one another with a clang, her foot kicked up some sand and she moved for a dynamic thrust. It missed completely as he side stepped both her trap and attack, before tripping her and sending her rolling out of bounds. With that the score was ten to zero, his favor. She had always hated losing. So much. Her body came to a slow stop beside Keigo who was busying himself by crushing herbs in a mortar and pestle, then adding water and some grainy white powder. Then pouring the substance into vials and saving said vials in a small pouch by his side.

"Keigo...what are you doing?"

"I'm making poisons Tatsuki. You see i'm not really a physical fighter, or frontline fighter if you prefer. Kind of like support classes in video games. I'm making these poisons to augment my battle potency so that I can more effectively combat hollows."

"Yeah? But if you're more support, why bother at all? Just...support someone with more battle potency."

Keigo gave her a hurt smile before he returned to his crushing of herbs, "I used to… but I hated it. Getting left behind, forgotten, it's horrible. But doing nothing about it? That's just hideous."

She rose an eyebrow at his wording, but shrugged it off. She talked to Keigo about as much as she talked to Ichigo, and while that had become slightly more frequent as she, Sado, Mizuiro, and Keigo crowded him at the school roof for lunch, it was still pretty sparse when he refused to talk. That said, her point was she knew Keigo moderately well, mediocre really.

She rose from the sand and stared all around her. It was cool that she would be starting some training, turning this borrowed, stolen, power into her own. Getting super strong. Unlocking shikai. She bit her lip in anticipation.

"Hey Keigo, do you and Ichigo had shikai?" She asked, sitting up and crossing her legs.

She didn't miss the bitter looks that flashed across his features, "We've both attempted to get our shikai, and both of us have failed. Sad as it may be for us regular Death Gods...it's not that easy." He spoke the words sagely, like he hadn't been at this for just five years but instead for many tens or years.

"Oh...how often do you try it?"

He rose a brow at her wording, "Often? Tatsuki, it's not exactly as easy as popping into my inner world and saying I want to try again, it different for everyone too. If you aren't ready to hear it, taking a nap drinking some juice, and pumping yourself up in the mirror isn't going to do anything for you."

She was baffled by that, she could fail to unlock her shikai? She couldn't stop the fowl expression that formed on her face, "Seriously? So...how do you get ready? And what do you have to do?"

Keigo shrugged his shoulder, before pouring the last of his poison into a vile and securing it in his pouch, he then took some sand and filled the bowl with it, "Its different for everyone. It could be a simple as walking in and asking for the name to see if your ready to hear and call upon it. Or you could have to fight it, suppress their will with your own, show your strength."

"What if I win the fight, but still can't hear the name?"

"Then you aren't ready."

She gaped only being able to ponder how mad she would get if she fought back a powerful spirit and won only to not get the reward. Like a quest in a video game glitching out before completion. She glanced around the sandy basement again, before a thud grabbed her and Keigo's attention.

Ichigo had returned.

Standing to her full height, and pulling Keigo up by the scruff of his shirt, she stalked over to the scowling boy. His orange eyebrows pulled down, wrinkling his forehead, his hazel eyes burning holes through whatever lay in his path. His stern look didn't soften when his pal Keigo and old friend Tatsuki appeared before him. Tatsuki looking mildly miffed about something, and Keigo bored of being dragged around.

Keigo still within Tatsuki's grip looked to his friend, "We got a run down from you dad, told us Yuzu got sick because of some Hollow attack, is she going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine, I talked to Kisuke bout' it just now, they got it handled."

Tatsuki realizing she was still holding onto Keigo released the brunette to stare up into the eyes of an old friend. It wasn't hard, having to look up to him, he'd left her behind in terms of height ages ago now.

"So. This whole time, you've been keeping this a secret?"

He shrugged, his hands resting in his hips. He seemed tired, annoyed, as if she were keeping him from something.

"Yeah, I never told you I became a Death God on the whim of my goat faced dad or his hat-and-clogs sporting buddy. I never thought it was pertinent."

She wanted to huff and tell him that she deserved to know. But did she really? They weren't exactly best friends, even before the incident they were never the closest, the only time they really spent together being when she and the rest of their motley crew would group around him during lunch. Did she have any place knowing? She bit back the doubt and frowned at herself for even considering it.

Her foot came down on his toes, he moved to pull his foot back but she grabbed the fold of his shihakusho to keep him in reach as her heel smashed his three closest toes.

"Gah! What the hell Tatsuki!"

"I'm your friend you moronic jackass! Stop brooding long enough to see that!" she yelled back at him.

His brow twitched as he considered punching her for the stupid display, but after a calming breath, or twelve, he righted himself.

"Y'know what? Sure, why not. Let's be best buddies again, like the last five years of cold shoulders didn't happen!"

"You started it!" Tatsuki cut in.

"Not the point!" He defended.

[ **BLEACH THY SOUL]**

Yoruichi sat back against the desk, her usual playful smirk replaced by a frown. Across the room from her stood a blond shop owner, his face turned to a whiteboard and his hands casually by his side. He sighed, turning to face his old friend who'd been staring daggers in his general direction for the better part of half an hour.

"Yoruichi! How can I be of help?" He asked covering his mouth with the fan he kept in his sleeve.

She rose a brow, not buying into his charade, "Cut it out Kisuke, this is serious. Ichigo isn't getting any stabler. His control is faltering, the blade spirits tendencies leaking through. And now the Kuchiki girl and a Substitute, its as if being exiled once wasn't enough for you."

He chuckled. It had been too long since they had a genuine talk like this, he much preferred to roll over and fall asleep than sit through her forced pillow talk. As cute as it could be on occasions.

"Unfortunately things seem to keep falling into my lap. Concerning Rukia and Tatsuki, keeping the hogyoku away from Aizen is my primary concern. Tatsuki's new powers are just a nice little side effect, similar to how we procured Keigo really. It'll be fun training up another substitute. As far as Ichigo...he doesn't have enough tethering him, he simply doesn't care. He feels betrayed too often by most, or indifferent to the rest. We're lucky he cares so much about his sisters and you or he'd likely have been consumed long ago."

Yoruichi uncrossed her arms and left the room. She never liked it when Kisuke used the people around him to get his way. Not like he'd been doing so often lately.

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

 **A/N:  
**

Hey guys, so since I have this and chapter ten done I figured I'd go ahead and post this one now, since i'm so nice. I don't have too much to say, except that I brought back a discontinued fic from over a year ago, why? I don't know. But it's there and i'm working on it. It won't be too long of a fic. That's about it for my personal messages I suppose...

 **Review Replies**

 **Scarease:** Yeah, hearing you have a family member in the hospital would suck, doubly so for Ichigo considering he gives so few fucks about the rest of the people around him.

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	10. A Nightmare for Betterment

The theatre was empty, save for two souls that adorned the center stage. One was a boy of fifteen years with crisp brown hair and dark skin, his eyes were closed with a look of pure calm on his face. Draped across his shoulders was the other. A woman, taller than most, with long snow white hair and jade colored eyes. Her tanned peach skin seemed to emanate a glow of a heavenly sort. Her plump lips seemed glostened and alluring, intoxicating, to even the most prude like individuals. Her body pressed against his back, her arms enveloping him, her hands resting near the center of his torso. The violet colored silk of her kimono draped over his sides. Her cheek nuzzled his own as her head was raised for her mouth to reach his ear, the cool air rushed past it as she took in a breath.

"Good morning, Keigo-kun." She purred, her warm breath against his ear sending a blissful chill through him, "I'm glad you could stop by to visit me. I've been dreadfully lonely you know."

The brunette shinigami could 'hear' the pout forming, her hold over him growing stronger, her hug bringing him deeper. He'd been in this position before, numerous times even. But it felt...different, this time. As though something had changed.

Her teeth nibbled on the lobe of his ear, one of her hands remained over his heart while the other slowly descended to rest upon his thigh. Somewhere deep within his conscious he cursed the baggy nature of his shinigami robes, though he was much too out of it to say anything in that moment. He felt something bubble up his throat and as his lips parted he realized it was a moan. A warm sensation filled his face, and he could tell he was absolutely red in that moment. Her soft chuckling confirmed this, the stool he had been sitting upon vanished, and he was pushed onto his back. Someone was straddling him, hundreds of snow white strings came in from the darkness and ensnared him. He couldn't find it in himself to care. Her hands pressed against his chest as her head dipped down, his eyes were closed but he could still 'see' all this happening, like he was just some spectator, watching a show…

Her lips pressed against his forehead, her hair flowing in a strong breeze that filled the hall they squatted within. The hundreds of strings binding him seemed to grow tighter, and from the darkness came another force, one that commanded him to act. His hands came up and locked around her wrist, she gasped in surprise, though she was simply acting through the motions, not truly surprised in the least. He pushed up getting her off of him, before coming over her like a wild beast would its prey. His eyes still closed with a calm look on his face. His hands moved with each stroke of the strings. First he pushed the strands from her faces, using one arm to keep hers bound above her head, the other went to her kimono. His fingers tracing the line of the rightmost fold, the soft silk warm to the touch and tatilyzingly thin. No longer content with carefully tracing the fabric his hand clenched around the fabric and pulled it away, the thin sapphire colored sash at her waist tearing and coming loose from the force, as the strings commanded him to disrobe her the blue sash floated through the air, freely, without a care, before falling upon the shoulder of a silent observer. His eyes were wide open, with clear distaste in them. His body was shrouded by the garbs of a kuroko kabuki, the only part of his visible, were his trembling, disgust ridden, brown eyes.

Back atop the stage, the disrobing had been partially completed, the fair skinned spirit had been exposed, if only her torso, and had turned her head away in shame as her body was fondled. Her clenched eyes quivered and finally she called out.

"Help! Help! Won't some chivalrous soul come and help!" She screamed, nearly sounding genuine in her pleas for rescue.

The frozen spectator sunk deeper into his velvet seat, his blood running cold at the horrors he was witnessing. Her pleading voice had filled the theater whole and her struggling too seemed genuine, until a loud smack filled the empty space within their hall.

A red mark was quickly forming on her face, the brunette shinigami atop the stage had dragged his hand roughly across her cheek. The pulsing red flesh burned for a second, and stung for many moments afterward. The rough and calloused hands of her molester returned to her breast, and she kept her teeth clenched as to keep from crying out again, lest she be struck once more. No, she could no longer call for a savior, so she peered, she raised her head and peered longingly into the darkness around her, for a hero...for her hero.

After endless minutes of rough handling he stopped, and placed two fingers upon her forehead, his closed eyes and calm face portraying none of his intentions. His two fingers moved down her body in a straight line, down her face, down her neck, between her breast, down her abdomen, and stopped at her waistline. Not of their own however. His calm face, and closed eyes, turned to face whoever had interrupted his fun. It was...someone, a boy most likely given the broad shoulders and overall body shape. He wore a kuroko kabuki, as was usually the case with those kinds of outfits, only his brown eyes were exposed. And they were filled with fury, his grip only seemed to tightened with each passing second, until finally he calm faced shinigami was pulled off and away from the spirit he had been so relentlessly molesting.

The strings attached to his limbs quivered before pulling him back and into the air, above them, high above the stage, his body was fixed rigidly into a crucifixion. His face remained calm, even as blue flames raced down the threads and engulfed his body wholly, leaving only the smouldering shape of what could once be described as a man.

The kuroko took in a breath and moved to turn to face his charge, when the blade of an ornate tanto pierced the black fabric of his clothing, and sunk into his stomach. A coursing, burning pain traveled through him, as his knees failed to keep upright, he crumbled to stage floor, where the topless spirit still sat.

As the blood seeped through the wound, staining not just him, but also the boards of the stage, she leaned in. Her lips pressing against his ear, were she tiredly whispered into his ear…

"Hesitation in the face of atrocities is hideous." She hissed.

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

A loud beeping pulled Keigo from his slumbering. His face had a sheen of cold sweat upon it, and his eyes were bloodshot. His stomach felt uneasy, and his body felt like it had just been through the wringer. He pulled at the deep purple blanket covering him, only to begin to shiver. His body was wracked as a hacking cough came past his lips. He leaned his head over the edge over the bed, were he just so happen to have a waste bin, and continued to cough until he hacked up a wad of phlegm and blood.

His door swung open, his sister stood there, in her high school uniform. She went to Karakura Academy for Girls. She got in on her scores alone, and the fact that their mother was a corporate C.E.O probably didn't hurt.

Anyway, the brown haired girl could the spawn of satan on her best days...but when it came to her little brother getting sick?

Her bag fell from her hands as she ran down the hall toward the bathroom. In what could have been an instant, seriously! Keigo thought for a second that his sister has used the flash step!, she pushed him onto his back and jammed a thermometer into his mouth. A bandana tied around her face, and her phoned pressed against her ear. Keigo wondered who she was calling?

"Ichigo? Yeah, it's me Mizuho. Listen Keigo has a fever of-" she removed the measuring device from his mouth and blanched, "thirty-nine point four!"

Keigo heard some scoffing, and chalked it up to Ichigo not caring and telling her something obvious.

"Well of course he's staying home you moron! Listen, when you get to school tell your homeroom teacher for me, thanks!"

She looked down at her sick brother, and as Keigo looked up at his caring sister...he could see the violet aura of the purest evil rising up behind her. She punched her fist into her open palm and cracked her knuckles.

"Time to battle a bug…"

Keigo silently cried to himself and asked why it had to be him!

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

Ichigo hung up the phone and set it back on the counter of the kitchen within Urahara's shop.

"Who was that Ichigo?" asked a half-awake blond as he dusted off his hat.

"It was Mizuho. Something about Keigo gettin' sick and to tell Ochi Misato-sensei that he'll be absent."

"Did you just say her full name?" Urahara asked, slightly confused by the act.

"Huh? I guess I did…" Ichigo paused, unable to decide why he did such a thing.

They both shared a look before stupid grins split their faces, Ichigo leaned back as he let his laugh shake him completely, while Kisuke covered his laugh with the trusty fan he always had and shuffled in a very controlled way. The two of them remained this way for nearly a solid minutes until a black haired girl with Violet eyes stepped into the room.

"Huh? What's so funny?"

Both men turned to see Rukia in a pair of beige colored pajamas. She had taken residence in the Urahara shop for the time being, though in which room they had no clue as they hadn't found her sleeping. Though it was easy to lose track of people in the 'dorm wing' of the blonds shop. That particular pocket dimension seemed to stretch further than the dessert training room. Ichigo pondered where exactly Tatsuki had gone, seeing as she hadn't been present for breakfast, and her physical body was absent too. He shrugged as he realized he didn't really care. He blinked a few times and realized the other two in the room were still talking, he nearly blanched, this had become a regular thing with him and getting lost in thought was simply to easy. His eyes shifted between the conversing duo, his ears still only picking up a high pitched ringing as he ignored the words. Without much of a guilty thought he began considering using shunpo to evacuate, maybe go and find Yoruichi or her pet cat that always followed him around, get a nice sparring match going. Skip class. If not, he could probably find some thugs...or maybe Sado was around…

"Ichigo!" Urahara clapped his hands before the teens face, and received the cross eyes attention of the boy who had been pulled from his day planning, "Me and Tessai are going to pick up supplies with Jinta and Ururu. Since Yoruichi has decided to make herself scarce, that leaves only one person I can trust Rukia to…"

Ichigo rose both brows in surprise. From what he had been told by Keigo Rukia and Hat-and-clogs, were thick as thieves, and the fact that the blond was considering him capable to watch over her was telling of how far they'd come in their relationship.

"...so could you show her the way to your school, and let Tatsuki know i'm counting on her?" Urahara deadpanned as Ichigo felt the smile that formed on his face melt away.

The ginger haired teen almost didn't realize his hand was moving until he had gave the bastard in the hat the meanest uppercut he could, his face set in a absolute scowl he turned and shoved both hands into his pockets.

"Like I give a damn! Take er' yer damn self!" He huffed, as he made his way out the shop.

Rukia ran over to the spot where the blond man had landed, and removed a light blue, Chappy the Rabbit, hanky and began to dab his cheek. They both instantly noticed she was lightly dabbing the side that had no blood to speak of on it.

"Umm...Rukia?"

"It's a first edition…" She stated, still dabbing his cheek, as if that meant something more to the blond.

"But. I'm bleeding!"

"First. Edition."

Kisuke silently cried to himself as the violet eyed girl smiled, and stood, gently folding and putting the rag away. Now with her precious treasure put away she huffed and placed both hands on her hips.

"What his problem?"

"Who? Ichigo? No, he doesn't have a problem, that's just his way of showing affection."

"If that's how he shows affection, how does he show anger?"

"Usually a slow and painful death." Urahara said without missing a beat. Rukia could feel the comically large drop of sweat roll down her temple.

"And...you want me...to spend the day...with him?"

"That is correct. Yes."

"Why?"

"Because, Tatsuki and you now have a special bond that'll make you two hornier than doped up rabbits. And Ichigo my second strongest deciple, he can keep you safe from anything lowers than an A-class hollow."

Rukia sputtered. Hearing that a Shinigami of only five odd years could take on A-class hollows was, stupefying. She recalled having members of her squadron who couldn't handle C-class or even D-class hollows. She really had to wonder just who is this kid...but then a thought occurred.

"Wait, you said second strongest. Does that make Keigo even stronger?"

"Huh? No, what gave you that idea?" He asked, now sitting up against the wall.

"You only have the two students." She replied instantly.

"Rukia. I'm an ex-captain, I had a squad a thousand strong, i've been in the living world for decades now. Since arriving here I've trained at least twelve people. Granted seven of them are dead, but thats twelve people, just in the human world."

Rukia nodded along, before realizing how incriminating this was, so she got up and ran out after the orange haired boy with the mood problem. But before she left she had to make sure of just one thing.

"Your comment about rabbits in heat relating to me and Tatsuki...you were kidding correct?"

The blond shrugged and made a fifty-fifty gesture with his hand, a small stream of blood still pouring from his head.

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

His blade met the bony white mask of the bird hollow and with a mix of a roar and a shriek, it split apart and turn to ash. The shinigami who had done the deed floated down from his place high in the air onto the mulch field of the playground, his full attention back on the grown man whimpering under the seesaw.

"It's dead, you can come out now." Ichigo said approaching the still cowering man.

"No!" The balding man definitely screamed, "Only a demon could've killed that monster, and I won't get dragged the hell, I'm too smart for it!"

Ichigo being the saintly figure that he was, reached under the childrens device for fun and ripped the man from his hiding place before slamming the pommel, or cap, of his hilt into the man's forehead. The souls eyes bugged for a second, and he swore from the pain, soon a soft panic enveloped him as he realized he was disappearing.

"Ah! Monster! I knew you were one!" He screamed till his last breath was carried away on the wind.

Ichigo sighed and sheathed his sword before walking back toward his body. Which just so happened to be resting on a bench next to Rukia, who had been quietly watching his display.

"Your very...brutish. Have you tried a more calm and soothing approach when performing konso's?"

Ichigo let the electrical energy dance over his skin as he was sucked back into his body. Ignoring the shudder that ran up his back every time he did that, he gave Rukia a look.

"You say something? It's hard to hear you from down there short stuff."

He walked away, a fuming Death God behind him, the fact she was muttering all kinds of obscenities that would make whores, scoundrels, and general scum of the earth blush and look away in shame, went unnoticed by the target of her newly burning hatred. Ichigo also didn't notice that one of his 'friends' otherwise known to the world as, the sex fiend of Karakura, Kojima Mizuiro, snapping a picture of him while he was 'seemingly' asleep on a bench in the park with Rukia so close to him.

The dark haired boy quickly turned to return to class, completely forgetting about the date he had ditched for.

"Oi! Strawberry!" Rukia called out, the grumbling sounds of affirmation coming from Ichigo told her everything she wanted to know, "shouldn't we be in school?"

Ichigo stopped and turned at the waist, his face a hard scowl as he pointed to a large gray building dotting the horizon.

"That's Karakura high, were Tatsuki is. Go bug her." He dismissively said with an uncaring wave.

Rukia huffed and ran up to him, her hands wrapping around his forearm, "You can't cut school! People will think your a delinquent!" She tried to argue, only to pause when he began to laugh.

"Too little, too late. You wanna see delinquency? Follow me!"

She would have said no, and then demanded he go to class, but she doubted she'd be very interested in her power holders academic environment, plus this was the first time her orange haired guide had looked happy all day. And she meant calm relaxed happy, not the feral deranged kind he had been displaying while hacking away the hollow.

Little did she know, that her day would be composed of watching Ichigo beat the crap out of fifteen school thugs. Multiple times. In fact she dare say that watching senseless violence was starting to bore her. With a tired huff she turned away with crossed arms as Ichigo made short work of the groups, no longer caring what the boy did to the foolish humans that thought themselves strong.

She squeaked, a very commanding and not at all high pitched sound, when Ichigo tapped her shoulder and she hadn't felt him coming up behind her. When she turned he forced a toasted waffle cone, with some kind of frozen cream into her hands. She stared at it expectantly, before looking up and seeing Ichigo biting into the frosty pink colored cream on his cone. She looked at the plain looking white color of her own. She was jealous. But she bit that, as well as the frozen cream, and nearly spit both out as the freezing texture touched the insides of her mouth.

Ichigo snickered beside her, "What's the matter? Ice Cream too cold?"

Rukia glared up at him, and how easily he was eating his own 'ice cream' before turning her glare on the cool confectionery in her hand. She finished eating it, and the cone in record time...only to crouch to the floor as her head started to ache.

"Brain freeze too? Man, you sure know how to handle your cold goods." Ichigo taunted before seeing her hand and face. Her hands was stained with blotches of melting vanilla ice cream, and spots of it surrounded her lips. His fingers twitched at his sides, as a couple walked by them, his acute hearing picking up something about their 'compromising stance' and he quickly saw that, in fact, her head was just below his belt.

He produced several napkins and quickly cleaned her face until it shined. A completely different couple walked by and cooed at his act.

Standing to his fool height, feeling so light that a gentle breeze could send him tumbling, he began walking to Karakura High.

"Ichigo? Where are you going now?" She asked, only slightly worried that the boy seemed to have lost all of his conviction to avoid class.

"School...I need a nap…"

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

He pulled down on the plastic head guard. Now with his face moderately protected from round houses, and the like, he stepped onto the mat ready to meet his opponent. He began throwing practice punched, and before long out walked a dark haired girl, she wore the exact same set of clothes and body protection as him, but she looked mildly hesitant to actually throw the punch.

He heard someone say something and she began closing the gap between them, still looking hesitant, so he took the initiative and dove in, punches going left, right, and center. She got into his zone and grabbed the folds of his gi before flipping him, FLIPPING. HIM., onto his back, where she then placed his in an arm bar.

After a moment's pause, he realized he wasn't breaking out of this, and that he was serious pain. His gloved hand slammed furiously against the mat, the fact that he tapped out instead of letting the bitch break his arm so he could then lay into her made him sick.

He got up and was about to really give the girl a go, but his whole body froze when he felt a nearly forgotten presence. A presence that radiated warmth like a personal sun had appeared, and he dared not turn to face it. His chest ached at the thought of it.

But one could one peak really hurt?

He turned and saw her, Misaki. His mother. Standing by the door to his dojo. He ran into her embrace, and squeezed her tightly, like if he let go, it would all fade away.

"Ichigo? Are you okay?" She asked, her hand rubbing soothing circles in his back,

He buried his face deeper into her stomach, "Perfect. I'm perfect…"

She giggled and lifted him up into the air, "Yes. You are my perfect little strawberry." She giggled again and tickled his tummy.

His nine year old self, smiled and went along with it, whatever feeling from before that had given him chills and made him feel like something ominous was looming vanished as he was held in the arms of his mother.

She spun him around once, and he seemingly enjoyed it too much, as now he was walking through the rain with her, in his overly yellow raincoat, boots, and tiny hat. She called him her little lighthouse keeper.

Ichigo let his eyes run down the grassy slope to a girl in a white summer dress with a wide hat to keep sun off her pale skin. Her vaguely green hair didn't so much as waver in the winds. Everything within him told him to look away, to keep walking, to move along, that it didn't matter. But when his hazel orbs saw the figure dive into the water, his stupid brain made him run down the slope to the edge of the water where she'd vanished. His mother calling out for him from the top of the slope.

He reached the bottom and regret filled him as a massive black tentacle shot out of the water and wrapped around his mother, a large flipper came out of the water and then after that six long necks with reptilian head and birdlike beaks came out of the water. Each neck had at least a few dozen eyes on it.

His tiny form couldn't stop shaking as another tentacle came up and wrapped around his mother. It began to constrict, slowly around her. Crushing her.

She reached out to him, "Ichigo _help_ me!"

It snapped. His worried eyes narrowed to those of a boy who was seething with rage, a mist begun to rise from his body before it spun around him like a twister. Once gone he was back to being fifteen, and standing to his full height with his shinigami close. His face a scowl of pure disgust and hate.

"Help? I don't remember much from that night...but she never said 'help'."

The creature seemed to still, and the form of his mother began to laugh.

"Really now? Well then little boy, what will you do now?" It's distorted voice asked.

The rain vanished as Ichigo drew his sword, the world around them flipped its axis, and the canal had disappeared, now half the hollow was obscured by a building. Black flames that glowed red began to erupt around Ichigo, several cut up moons began to fill the slowly darkening sky. A deep red shadow began to burn around Ichigo as his hazel eyes became a deep gold color, the sclera of his eyes became a deep black, as a white bone mask formed on his face, red marking streaked the left side of the mask.

"What'll I do? Simple."

He pointed his sword forward and instantly a red glow traveled from the guard of the blade all along its length to the tip before a giant beam exploded outward and burned away the inky black beast that threatened him.

He turned to see his inner spirit, White- the blade who refuses to share his name, with a mask that he recalled seeing while having his ass thrashed while trying to achieve shikai. His white hand came up and pulled the mask away, his smirk all too telling. It might not have been shikai, but any power boost was welcomed at this point. His, temporarily, golden eyes looked down to notice he was turning to ash. He was already on his way out...

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

Ichigo rocketed out of his seat, which fell to the floor with a clatter, his heart pounding in his temples. He looked around, the whole class was staring back at him, with mild hesitation. He gulped as he pressed his fingers to his face. No mask.

Sighing, he picked up the chair and sat back down, offering no explanation as to what had just occurred. To his side, Tatsuki and Rukia gave each other a concerned look before returning their gaze to the instructor. Ichigo opened a notebook and jotted down the notes he'd slept through. A weird feeling in his gut after that dream…

Little did he know, that upon waking up, he had alerted his presence to a small group that called his town home…The Visored.

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

 **A/N:** Be honest, how many of you thought I was about to throw Xcution at you...? I mean, there's no set up for them so far, aside from a comment about substitutes losing their powers but that's besides the point, anyway; chapter, stuff, dreaming, sword spirits and hollow powers. Stuff is getting built! Up! Yeah, man. Aside from those words...I believe that's it.

 **Review Replies**

 **Scarease: _Yeah, I was hoping to pull Ichigo away from his 'Shield To Everyone' persona and make him a little colder. Also! Naruto OC you say? It's funny, since Ichigo is a big Naruto fan in this, and I was inspired by two Naruto fics. OC's are so cool right? Have you written anything to go along with the character or just thought him up?_**

 **goku2134: _'Reread' you say! That's awesome to hear, I'm glad it was entertaining enough to read through again. Your kind words are encouraging, and so far it could be Ichiruki, honestly I'm still undecided but it may go that way depending on what happens in Soul Society. When I saw update soon I nearly posted this chapter, but seeing as I like being a chapter ahead of where you guys are, and I hadn't yet finished eleven, I couldn't really...But here it is!_**

Well, it's nice of you guys to leave reviews, stay awesome, till next time...

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	11. Hollow Hearts at Home

The moon was high in the sky, and a grumbling ginger haired boy sat atop a water tower. Not far from him was a dark haired girl, who had been spending the last hour trying to talk down a sad teenager. The kid was younger than them by two years, and had died by asphyxiation, his father had this that and the other thing, and the last line was something about his mother, so he stood his ground and was surprised when a thirty something year old beat him down and choked him to death. Ichigo would have drawn his blade and sent the kid off, but Tatsuki was determined to help the spirit pass on naturally, apparently his method mean the spirit would awaken in Soul Society with bits of missing memory. But did that really matter?

He finally glanced over his shoulder when the kid had begun to quiet down, but as soon as he did he saw the boy was staring at him awkwardly. A faint dusting of red spread across the spirits cheeks as he turned back to Tatsuki. They shared some mutterings and Tatsuki waved him over. He begrudgingly did so.

"Umm, hello, my name is Toyo-"

"I don't care." Ichigo cut him off. He never wanted to hear names, backstories, or anything even remotely close to small talk. Just press and go. Everything else was pointless. He'd rather spend his whole winter break listening to Karin talk about how dumb everything is, or her strange fascination with soccer. Or better yet, see if Yuzu would spend three hours talking to him about cupcake toppings. Hell, he'd even rather be at the cemetery so he could see his mom!

But nope, he'd always seemed to come across the chatty spirits.

"O-oh...sorry…" The boy shied away retreating behind Tatsuki who gave Ichigo a glare.

"Ichigo, hear him out, he says he has a clue on how to pass on!"

Ichigo looked her in the eyes. It had been a trying week, and a damn long day, so with everything going on how it had. He figured that it had been enough. He reach forward and pulled her toward, drawing his blade with his open hand before slamming the cap against the kids forehead.

"Ah!" The boy cried in shock.

"Ichigo!" Tatsuki shouted in annoyance.

He turned to give her an icy stare before sheathing his blade and motioning for her to follow. He'd be the first to admit it, he was fed up. Tired of this substitute crap. Tired of putting up with Tatsuki...tired of her showing him up after a week of practice, inherited skills be damned. So when he found out that the scheduled evening with his long time friend had been changed to a night of newbie patrol, well he had nearly broken a table, he didn't. He just flipped it, the little not on the bottom that read 'only for comedic relief' was a jab at him from Jinta who had gotten use to him flipping furniture when upset. In fact he thought about the schedule fondly, three solo patrol days for him, three for Keigo, and one shared, which was sunday. So why had he been stuck babysitting, surely Keigo would have made the better choice.

Though his worries of her flooding him with questions and flailing her sword at hollows were for not. For after he had konso'ed that kids spirit away, she had become mute for the remainder of the evening.

They remained on silent treatment well into the week, until finally came wensdenday.

"Misato-sensei says to deliver these to the teachers lounge." Ichigo boredly said placing a stack of papers on Tatsuki's desk.

"Huh? Why me? I bet she asked you, and you're just pawning it off on me!"

"It's a five minute walk. Bugging you ain't worth the effort."

Tatsuki felt her face go red with rage, his remark about her importance had been getting to her a lot recently. She settled slightly when Rukia walked up to them holding a juice box.

"Hey Ichigo, how exactly do these work?"

He gave her a sidelong glance before extending his open hand for the box, after taking it from her he calmly explained how to remove the straw and poke it through the hole on top. Happily she took the chilled box back and happily sipped away.

"Wow that sure looks good, what flavor is it Rukia?" Orihime asked, coming up behind Tatsuki, as she leaned up against her Tatsuki could feel her friends airbags pressed against her back, her mood souring again.

"Hmm?" Rukia hummed as she sipped a bit more of her drink a smile on her face, "It's strawberry milk! I love it!" She happily exclaimed getting a few restrained snickers from boys still in class, and a few squeaks of surprise from the girls outside.

Ichigo rubbed his face, Tatsuki could see the faintest dusting of rosy pink on his tan skin, "Right, well then. You ready to go to Urahara's shop?"

Rukia nodded as she continued to drink her beverage. As the pair left, the boys in the room let out a sigh of relief and quietly muttered amongst themselves. As Tatsuki moved to stand, she realized her ditsy friend was still using her as a stand to prop herself up.

"Can I help you Orihime?"

She got a surprised humm for her friend who brought a hand up to tap Tatsuki's chin in thought as if it were her own.

"Since your offering, I was wondering if you'd come over to my house for a sleepover!"

"...Sure?"

They had split up at the school gate so that Tatsuki could head home to retrieve some items, basic commodities that she didn't want to take from someone else, she also picked up a cheese pizza since she knew to what degree Orihime could take her bizzare cooking. The black haired girl was dressed in a t-shirt and jean shorts, with her comfiest running shoes, her mom was pulling an extra shift at the hospital, and she had no prior engagements to concern herself with, so she went right to the door and pulled it open...only to freeze when she saw Furusake Kurota. He seemed tired, and kind of worried; she had no clue why.

"Hey, Tatsuki, you have no clue how happy I am to have caught you!" He gleefully said, she didn't feel safe at the phrasing of those words, "I was kind of worried, since you've been avoiding me at school, and ignoring my calls, and hanging out with Kurosaki even though he _constantly_ threatens me." The last part sounded immensely bitter.

She had almost, completely, forgotten about Kurota. They had been together for almost three years now. And in the span of a week, he had vanished from her life, a tidal wave of more pressing matters swallowing her. Drowning her.

"Oh, Kuro, I am so sorry, I-I've just had a lot on my plate with Karate, and I just started working for this shop, plus exams and all…" She was throwing every excuse she could, except for being a part time Death God, at the poor boy who was clearly doing his best to preserve a relationship that had lasted quite a while.

His shoulders sagged, and his hands clenched. His eyes were shut tightly as he turned around, he took in a shaky breath. He seemed hurt, immensely so. He spoke up, still facing away from her.

"If your going to dump me, could you actually tell me it's over instead of stringing me along!" He screamed out as loud as he could before running away, sniffling.

Tatsuki bit her lip, she felt bad about how that had turned out, but she and Kurota, while being in a lasting relationship, had ever been extremely close. She wanted to go and make sure he felt better, understood that it hadn't been anything he did, or lack of doing, that caused this...but she'd had her fill of drama and was more than ready to simply get to Orihime's house and pretend today was just a bog standard day, with no annoying problems.

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

Tatsuki stared dumbfoundedly at the marks on her friends ankle. She had put it off, but her usual clumsiness seemed to have reach a whole new level lately. It was rather upsetting, seeing as her friend had very nearly become a pancake earlier, when she was making her way over to the apartment.

"Orihime...Has something been happening?"

"Huh? Why do you say that Tsuki?"

"Well...you've seemed to be getting hurt more often, I was wondering if someone had been bothering you or something?"

Orihime let her hand tightened around her slice of pizza, they had been enjoying a unhealthy dinner on the floor by the TV while watching the newest Johnny Yong Bosch movie had come out and everyone was clambering to see it.

"No. Nothing at all…" Orihime couldn't keep her voice from shaking.

"Hime...Y-you know you can tell me anything right…?"

Orihime looked up, her throat felt like she had a boulder caught in it...so she decided to confess about something else.

"I wanted to confess to Kurosaki-kun,but Kojima-kun said Rukia was already dating him!" She went through it so fast, that Tatsuki hardly understood. But she did. And she felt bad about the fact it caused her to pause. On what basis had Mizuiro made that assumption! Had he seen something!? Was there something she didn't know!?

"They aren't." She very surely bit out, surprised and unsure of where it came from.

"B-but, Kojima-kun said-"

"They aren't!" tatsuki echoed, louder, rougher, like she had been hurt by the doubt, by the idea of being wrong.

"Right…" Orihime smiled and nibbled on her slice of pizza.

A small frame on a decorated table on the other side of the room suddenly cracked. The picture within wrinkling as if a current had passed through it. The glass cracking and chipping away. Orihime seemed saddened by that and quickly moved to act. Tatsuki stood as well.

"Whose that? In the picture I mean."

"Oh...it's my brother Sora."

The apartment, suddenly rumbled.

Tatsuki looked to see Orihime bring her hands together, some kind of prayer. When suddenly she saw it, a black tear in reality splitting the scene, and a large hollow poked through. Its hair dangling in a messy oily black mop, its marble white mask bare of any marks with sunken in eyes, and a grey body with red arms.

Its permanent girn split apart, revealing the second mouth within, as he cried out in agony, "Stop it! She's forgetting about me!" It screeched in obvious pain, and dragged its hand across the apartment, ruining it.

Tatsuki took Orihime and jumped back, she didn't have a mod soul or anyway to escape her body in this situation. She'd have to find on opening and escape.

The hollows red hand smashed into wall where she had previously been standing, Orihime had been knocked unconscious by the force of his hand slamming against her, Tatsuki did her best maneuvering while carrying around the unconscious Orihime. She then realized why Ichigo disliked being stuck in a gigai, in her case it was just her body, for so long. It was super restrictive!

But she managed to some extent, until the hollow pinned her legs against the ground, the loud snapping sound coming from it, and the horrid pain the arched through her, probably man it was broken. Her mind raced, as she tried to remember any of those nifty spells...though she came up short in her panic, her eyes locked on the hand that reared back and was quickly coming straight for her. It stopped inches from her face.

She looked past the hand and saw a blade sticking out of the hollows chest, and before it could so much as twitch, the blade pulled up and cut the beast in half. It disintegrated not long after.

She saw Ichigo standing there with a horribly tired look upon his face. He ignored her questioning gaze in favor of walking over to the phone and calling up Keigo, then he proceeded to give to her the mod soul ejector, it was shaped like a cutesy rabbit, for future scenarios.

"I suck at healing techniques, Keigo is on his way though…"

She could only nod as he calmly left the scene, as if he hadn't just nonchalantly saved the lives of two cute girls.

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

A quiet week. He wanted just one, where he wouldn't get called in for this...this...pointless crap. He'd been here at the hospital to check on Yuzu, her recovery was slow going, she'd been tired, a lot lately, and the little bracelet she wore that was supposed to purge the hollow essence that lingered on her hadn't been doing shit. So after three hours and just sitting their, and talking to his adorable and sick baby sister, and holding back the bitter feeling of tears, he had moved to leave, only to over hear something about a Yasutora Sado being in an accident from a pair of lazing nurses.

He cursed himself the second he walked into the room, where he would stand there and stare at the inured body like a freak...for two hours and twenty-six minutes.

Ichigo stared at the comatose form of his favorite punching bag. Deep gashes along his leg, multiple fractures along his shoulder blades and bruised ribs. His teeth grit at the idea of someone doing this to his fri- to his punching bag!

The tanned skinned boy, who could easily be confused for a man, opened his eyes. First they rested on the shocked form of Ichigo, who was still in his school uniform, and then they traveled the room until they came upon the parakeet he had been given. The hispanic boy sat up, not even wincing at the pain that would keep other fully grown men down for days. However as he tried to get out of bed, as hand gripped his shoulder tightly.

"Sado...what're you doing?" Ichigo asked, only mildly furious.

"I was gonna get Yuuichi and head home, maybe crack open some of third periods homework."

The orange haired boy released Sado. As cool breath escaped him as he began to thumb the red beads of the bracelet he had suddenly started wearing. He stood there, completely silent, for a long minute Sado braced himself to be sent flying out of a window or have an elbow smashed into his gut, or karate chopped in the back of the neck. But it never came.

"Fine. Get ready, i'll walk with ya' till we get there."

"You don't have to." Sado tried to stop him, he didn't want to burden anyone, but he quieted down when he noticed Ichigo crushed one of the beads between his fingers, his left brow twitching, and his smile straining to remain jovial. What had originally been a warm presence shifted into one of blazing fury hidden in the shadow of a fifteen year old ginger boy, who could put grown men in the hospital with little effort.

"I'll be outside." Was the last he offered, leaving Sado to gather and prepare his various items.

"He's scary…" Yuuichi said, his feathers trembling.

Sado turned his head to his frightened friend. He could understand where the bird, boy, was coming from, he often did when people came to him to tell tales of exactly how fear inducing Kurosaki Ichigo was. It didn't take a genius to realize it...but Ichigo had done something for him, for everyone, that he could never turn away from, never look down upon the kid for.

"He can be. Give me a minute and we'll leave."

And a around four minutes later, Sado found himself being escorted home by a scowling ginger. He thought back on the words of that fortune cookie he read and marveled at how his fortune had come true.

"This is it." Sado said, his face expressionless while taking in the sight of the large apartment complex.

"Yeah? Well, see you tomorrow then." Ichigo huffed, turning to return the way they came, Urahara shop was a decent walk away from here.

"I took you really far out of your way…" Sado said, feeling rather upset.

Ichigo stopped and gave the silent giant a look over his shoulder. His hazel eyes were piercingly vibrant under the full moon, he chuckled, the sound was a foreign verb when describing Kurosaki Ichigo. But it just happened, in that instant. The maniacal 'Demon of Karakura' just chuckled in a way that seemed jovial, inviting, reassuring.

"Huh, 'spose you did...what of it?" He said, still not having turned to face Sado.

"Come in, for some tea...it's the least I could do…"

Ichigo brought a hand up to cover his mouth, his shoulder shaking, his hair ruffled by the breeze before it slipped past him. A full blown laugh. It was an alien gesture, Ichigo had always been a scowling raging street fighter with a dark enough aura to make even those less spiritually inclined than him think twice. He started to think this wasn't the same Ichigo.

"I think you got a problem Sado...You invite everyone who beats on you into your house? Or just the ones that show up in your hospital room after?" It was joke, clearly, but seeing as it made him turn to face Sado, it was a tiny victory.

The two left the empty street in favor for the barren apartment, a fresh note placed on the counter. It was in spanish, and in characters Ichigo couldn't hope to have a clue understanding it. The tanned giant looked over the note before pocketing it. He sighed as he moved to the fridge and pulled out two cans of iced tea. Ichigo felt his brow twitch.

'Not exactly what I had in mind…'

"Sorry, I don't usually have guest." Sado said instantly, as if reading the boys mind.

"Yeah...whatever, look thanks for the drink, but i'm running late as is."

Sado watched the boy, can of tea in hand, leave his home almost like a ghost, not having even been present. His eyes shifted to the boy trapped in the parakeet, he had gone to sleep soon after having his cage covered with a tarp. Once again, the crushing silence came rushing into his life...he placed his canned drink within the fridge once more before grabbing the cage and heading for his room, he'd need some sleep.

Out within the confines of the apartment a creeping figure shifted, its frog like body twitching with unease. He'd been wanting to move on his prey since the human had gotten in the way, but had been held back by that freakish presence of the other human with him. It had taken a while, but his patience would soon be rewarded. In just a few more minutes he would swoop in, like crashing thunder, and claim what was rightfully his, games be damned!

His feral grin was split, his mouth couldn't remain closed, he was salivating, begging for it practically...then he heard it, he heard the crunching foot falls on dead leaves behind him.

"It's been too long since I fought a hollow with more than two brain cells...though the fact you stuck around means you ain't that much brighter…" The cold voice chilled his body, his large head turned to glance, at upon searing even a fleck of orange of black he spread his wings and took to the skies. Prey be damned, he'd find another snack before fighting a demon!

Ichigo scowled at the fleeing hollow before calling after it, "Guess that doesn't change the fact your a coward!"

With a burst of reiatsu he was soaring through the air, his inner energy swirling madly like a sea in the middle of a mad storm. It began to cackle as he focused it, a harsh booming began to resonate within him as he pointed two fingers forward.

" **Hado #4: Byakurai!** " Upon the last letter leaving his lips the, quite literal, pale lightning shot from his two outstretched fingers and cut a swath of light through the dark city sky, the attack connected with the hollows wing turning it into a fried mockery of what it once was, and quickly following, the hollow crashed onto the top of a small building.

His golden glowing eyes frantically searched the skies as his remain well arm prepared to launch projectiles, running had been taken from him. So he'd fight like the cornered rat he was!

"You're disgusting." He head and before he could turn he no longer felt his equilibrium vanish, and pain fill him.

He shrieked. It hurt, immensely, ungodly, the level of pain he felt was unnatural! He'd fought against other hollows and had felt less pain!

But it vanished soon after, he had been cut down, literally, and was slowly dying, just as well seeing as two more shinigami had turned up on the scene.

"Ichigo? What are you doing out here?" The brunette shinigami, Keigo, asked in wholesome surprise, Ichigo wasn't one to overwork. Tatsuki stared blankly from Keigo's side, after the incident with the boy, she had requested a different instructor.

Ichigo pointed the tip of his blade at the hollow he had bisected, "Taking care of some trash."

The three twitched as suddenly a strong current of wind dragged between them. Their head snapped to attention to find a massive floating gate, with two twin skeletons each with only one arm attached to it. The chains holding it shut rattled loudly, clanging like a group of drummers hitting metal pans with iron spoons. Their blood had run cold as a blue flame erupted from the gate, the chains snapping and the gate slowly creaking open, what laid within was a pure red void filled with ghoulish screams and rattling chains. A sound filled the air, louder than the screams and pain filled moans, a sound of rattling bones, and no sooner than the sound appeared hundred of ludicrously long skeletal arms shot out from the gate and grabbed onto the body of the hollow, instantly rusted chains began to manifest upon its form, and it was slowly dragged within the gate. It took no longer than a moment for the hollow to be consumed by the gate and it to disappear.

Ichigo looked at the sword in his hand.

"Was...was that me…?"

His moment of self reflection died on its feet as a loud laugh took over their chilling silence. The three turned to face Yoruichi, who was in a sweatshirt and jeans, as she laughed her head off.

"Sorry kiddo, but that was the gate of hell come to take our little friend away...he must've been really naughty as a human for that to happen."

Ichigo sheathed his blade and turned from the group, "Whatever then. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Hold it Kurosaki!" Yoruichi said jumping over everyone to land in front of the ginger haired boy, "Since your already out of your gigai, how about you free the soul of a trapped little boy."

The orange haired boy huffed, he'd already worked on his day off, why did he have to bother!

"Sure, where is it?"

"The souls is stuck within the body of a parakeet!"

Ichigo, keigo, and Tatsuki stared at her, utterly baffled, "You mean...that can happen?" The three asked.

Yoruichi, being the sly cat that she was, simply nodded yes.

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

The weekend had closed off on witnessing the gates of hell consume the soul of a wicked hollow, once human. Ichigo found it a very apt conclusion to the weekend as he passed by the gates of his own personal hell, Karakura high school. It's wrought iron gates might not fill him with dread the same way the gates to the legitimate hell he'd peered into just the previous day, but he reasoned that the torture would be much the same…

He reached his shoe locker in record time, the late bell had only just now started to ring, and as he moved to go to class, he heard it. The words he'd thought had been silenced. Rumors of his love life...or lack thereof as the case may be.

"Oi, did you hear Kurosaki Ichigo is dating that new transfer student, they ditched class together too!" One boy whispered to another as they snickered. Though there merry times died on their feet as the boy was pulled to his full height by a furious looking ginger.

"Yeah? Why don't you tell me who told ya' that so I can clarify somethin' for em'" Ichigo huffed.

"E-e-ea-easy there man! It was Kojima Mizuiro! Showed us a picture of you two and everything!" The one being held up by his collar cried.

Ichigo released the poor kid, before turning and walking away, each step seemed to echo in the halls...there was about to be a murder.

The boy was shoved into the wall, a scowling Ichigo pressed him tightly against it. While he knew he was in danger, he couldn't pass up this chance. So he gasped, a sort of pleasured filled sound like he recalled many of his more sensual partners making.

"No Ichigo! Not like this!"He called out, only to be ignored by everyone. Great, he'd die for nothing.

A tanned hand gripped Ichigo's wrist.

"Calm down…"

Mizuiro was released, and quickly scurried away as Sado was sent flying down the hall. Never in a million years had he expected Ichigo to track down the source of the rumor he and Rukia were an item. Though, while he was trying to murder him, he found that he wasn't stating his claims to be false!

As Ichigo walked further down the hall to continue destroying Yasutora Sado, he bumped shoulder with a slick haired kid with wire thin glasses. He didn't stop, too focused on killing **someone**.

Then the bony hand of the glasses kid grabbed his shoulder. Ichigo hadn't been as mad as he was now in a while.

"Common courtesy dictates you apologise." Glasses kid said before being punched in the face, his glasses cracking from the force and his body being sent spinning.

Ichigo hissed as he looked between the two, then around him at the kids crowding the halls, "Agh! Fuck this!" he roared before ditching the place.

Things took a while to settle down afterwards, and from within the class three girls, and one brunette boy, Keigo, stared at the scenes being made by their mutual friend to which they could only shake their heads...

 **[BLEACH THY SOUL]**

 **A/N:** Chapter 12 is almost done, so I figured I'd go ahead and release this now. I don't have much to say either...Oh! I'm looking at the timeline and just so you know, things are going to change!

(No reviews to reply to)

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	12. Precursor to the Legendary Quincy!

**A/N: Hey! Really quickly, from now on review replies will be going at the beginning of each chapter!**

 **midnightscar17:** _Funny enough I've nearly given Ichigo shikai twice now! The first time was when Tatsuki got her powers, I changed my mind then. The second was in this very chapter! But again, I've decided I really want to have Ichigo struggle to achieve it, I need it to take a lot. Head's up You'll see Keigo's before Ichigo's. Yes, Ishida Uryu, The Legendary Quincy, has in fact been shown in a cameo. And more really. Thanks for the review._

 **hiareportsyou:** _I have no idea if you'll ever see this reply, but, to be 100% honest here, it was my ham-fisted way to have an OC without having an OC. The other explanation is that his illogical ten-year old mind decided to follow Ichigo who had been immensely quiet following the death of his mother a year prior. Seeing the boy who's usually this reserved chase after a cat randomly caught his attention. Upon coming across the scene Jinta used his oni-bat to knock him out, but instead put him in near death. Kisuke decided to have a buddy to train alongside Ichigo instead of simply erasing the memories. Whichever one you decide to use as the explination is up to you from here. Thanks for the review.  
_

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Dark brown hair shined in the early morning light, the long strands ruffled around as a head rose from the soft pillow below. The room was deathly silent, the other two beds remained empty. The long spiky hair belonged to a body that many, upon first meeting, would describe in the following; broad like an ox and tall as a mountain...though those descriptors would only stick until those same people met the captains of the seventh and eleventh divisions. It didn't change the fact that the man had broad shoulder of fair skin, and was tall enough to require ducking to get through most doorways.

His large frame left the comforting realm that had been created by the comforter on his bed and approached the small trunk against the wall of the shared room. This one being his own. Within a moment he pulled on his shihakusho and strapped his zanpaktou to his side. His face set in quiet determination. The days were slow to pass, and the weeks seem to never pass, but it had. The days that stretched on to seemingly endless degrees ended. The long hours he spent in his captains office, filing, organizing, reading through casual reports, all of it...was done. Now it had been a whole month, his 'Leave' request had been approved and with all the fretting he had been doing, it was greatly appreciated. His small break of two weeks was to start today, and would end as previously mentioned, two weeks from today.

He found the mirror of the shared bathroom, it was a large standing reflecting surface, his creme colored skin seemed duller than what he was used to, and as he bore his own pale blue eyes into himself he felt cold. He'd grown used to certain things, adapted to his old mission...being back in the humdrum of Soul Society was aggravatingly dull compared to the weeks of action he and his cell had seen while out in the world of the living. He had one of the fiercest cells and they were always in charge of the same sector. Sector four. Whenever he saw their commander, Kuchiki Rukia, lay down their map and place the dividing drid upon it, he knew precisely where he and his men would go. She counted on them, and they always held up.

His cheeks warmed, recalling the events of the day where their fearless commander led a charge of seventeen different cells to assist them in fighting the menos that had appeared, it had been magnificent and awe inspiring. He found the training hall of his divisions, his tiny lieutenant turned and greeted him, the young kido master had softly colored dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was loose today.

"Ah, Oshiro-kun, how have been?" She said, her tone distracted the words clearly hollowed as her mind centered on something else.

"Hinamori-fukutaicho." Oshiro bowed to his superior, "If it's all the same to you I still prefer to simply be referred to as Sora, no need to bother with honorifics for me."

She quietly laughed, the back of her palm covering her mouth, "Right, you do alway tell me about that…" again she spoke, her mind elsewhere.

"Does something ale you Hinamori-fukutaicho?"

She seemed to blink at that, Sora had always found it strange, the way she felt so small and insignificant, it didn't mesh well with her. She'd always worked hard, harder than most to achieve her position, so it bothered him profusely when she flinched or winced when others took notice of her struggling. Like she'd failed, and all her hard work was about to come tumbling down upon her.

"You seem distracted," but if something was bothering their vice-captain… "is something wrong?"

Sighing, Momo clapped her hands against her cheeks, before looking back up at the concerned face of Sora, "I wish I could say everything's fine, but even though it's been a month now, I can't seem to acclimate to serenity here in Soul Society, the paranoia feels drowning sometimes." She laughed herself.

Sora scratched at the back of his head just below the base of his spiky ponytail. He could relate, many shinigami now could. The long excursion into the living world had taken their tranquil understandings and flipped them on their heads. People struggled, some persevered, and others...others didn't. He still recalled coming home during his breaks and having people ask him where so and so was, and how they would break down in tears when told that he had become hollow food. In so many words of course.

"I understand." In fact he did. Upon his early nights after returning, he would have frequent night terrors, a menos hand bursting into his room and grasping at him, his sword just out of reach. Its bony white fingers locking around him, and the last thing he saw before waking up screaming was the massive maw of the giant fools head or the bright red beam of a massive cero…he couldn't hold down his shuddering, "Try to drink some tea, maybe have a warm snack before bed. If it's really bad I asked Kurotsuchi-Taichou for something to help me sleep."

She gave a bow and a muttered thanks before walking away, he stopped when he realized their captain had arrived on the scene at some point throughout the whole ordeal.

"Aizen-Taichou! My apologize, I failed to notice you there!" Sora said, throwing himself to the floor at his captains feet, he didn't dare to look up until he heard the soft chuckle of disregard from the wise man.

"It's quite alright Oshiro-san, I'm often told by others I am quite ignorable, and do not bring much presence to the room. Forgettable almost."

Sora felt himself pale, how could anyone even consider speaking of a captain, especially their captain, in such a way!

"No, Aizen-Taichou! I meant no disrespect, I would never say such things about you!"

The man above Sora sighed and crouched to achieve a more eye level position with his subordinate, "You shouldn't make old men crouch, it's really quite insensitive."

Sora rocketed to his feet so fast it was miracle he didn't kill himself from whiplash, Captain Aizen soon followed. It was a calm interaction they had, no more words were exchanged only a simply glance, but in that glance, Sora understood. With a bow, Sora left. He had a lot to do, he'd put it off for weeks not, held off on confronting this person for as long as he could, but his heart would no longer stand for it...and his roomates refused to listen to him recite poetry to the pillow he'd put a wig on…

He stopped. He was there. The thirteenth division, the place that housed the fearless Rukia, the greatest commander he'd ever served under...well, except for maybe Captain Aizen. Happily he rushed past the gate, through the barren halls, and into captain Ukitake's office.

"Ukitake-Taichou!" He bellowed, sliding into the room and landing into a crouch at the end of the desk, where the white haired man sat, mounds of paperwork adorning the metallic surface.

"Ah...umm, my apologise, but, have we met?" The polite captain asked, receiving a happy look from Sora.

"We have, but it was only very briefly. But in that moment you, and someone else, changed my life. You placed me on the mission to explore the human world due the increased hollow activity, and due to your input I've become twice, if not triple, the man I once was!"

The pale skinned captain backed away a bit, it had been quite a while since he had been in the company of anyone so...vibrant, "Oh, is that so?"

"Yes! Thanks to you I was able to grow to heights I once thought unattainable! So after careful consideration I have come here to thank you and Commander Ruk-er, Kuchiki!"

Ukitake Jushiro was many things...but a man with an excellent poker face was hardly one of them. So he placed down his pen, and pushed aside his parchment. His green eyes becoming increasingly sharp. Precise. Like rays of the sun magnified through a lens. They bore into Sora. They saw perfectly everything he encapsulated. So after taking it all in, Jushiro sighed, a heavy weight coming to settle upon his shoulders.

"Ah, yes. The appointed commander, Kuchiki Rukia. My apologies…"

"...Oshiro Sora!" the young Death God offered, clearly being asked for his name.

"Yes, Sora, but...Kuchiki Rukia still has not returned from the world of the living…"

Frost. A sheet of frost seemed to be growing over his skin, his vein which usually ran hotter than most were chilled, and his heart didn't seem the most interested in beating. Like time had decided it'd rather stand still. Before he knew what he was doing Sora was standing to his full height, his hands slamming onto the metal desk, the resounding clap echoing in the room.

"What…!? Ukitake-Taichou, tell me you're joking! Tell me right now!" He roared, into the face of a captain.

The sullen look in those eyes screamed truth, and seriousness. Sora nearly gagged, the pang in his chest, the pit in his stomach, the thumping in the back of his skull. His lips peeled apart, his teeth were clenched and his body seemed to be doing its best to hold back whatever tidal wave of rage was fighting to escape. His own pale blue eyes bore into the captains dark green. A world of motion seemed to roar to life around the two, and as Sora felt himself being overwhelmed he reached to the furthest left side of the desk and swiped across it, sending the mountain of pages into the air and scattering across the floor.

"I-It's been a month!" Sora roared into the captains unflinching face, "She's a member of your division! What have you done to find her so far!?"

Ukitake's bottom lip quivered for a second before he resolved himself, "I am not at liberty to discuss on ongoing investigation." He replied, calmly, evenly.

Sora growled, "Then who is!? Tell me!"

The door behind them flew open, two radically different individual stood at the door. One was a short and petite blonde girl with horrified blue eyes, wearing gloves. The other was a broad but moderately short man with a beard and anger filled brown eyes.

"W-what are you doing to Ukitake-Taichou!"

"G-get off Ukitake-Taichou or you'll be sorry!"

The two screamed at once, the girl seemingly prepping a kido attack, while the male drew his blade and entered what, to Sora, seemed to be an awkward stance. Though they did little else as the white haired captain raised a hand to them. A universal sign to stop.

"Why should I disclose that information to you...Oshiro Sora…?"

It felt like a hundred needles were suddenly ripping into his throat. His tongue went numb, and the whole of his spine shook. The room hadn't gotten any heavier, and the captain before him didn't appear to be exerting any effort to hold him down with spiritual pressure. But something very clearly was holding him down. Something alien...but not. It was just different, the captain before him...was doing what Aizen did. His words, cool, calm, measured, careful, he gave nothing away while Sora had shown his whole hand! He'd lost the moment he let his emotions surge.

"I...I need to know! Kuchiki Rukia is...someone I can't fail!" The words were gargled, not exactly clear or spoken with the clarity he'd wanted them to be spoken in. But they were spoken, his point made.

Ukitake smiled, "Truly? Well, i'm glad my lieutenant has someone looking out for her!"

Sora was taken back. He had no clue Rukia was lieutenant, she hadn't been wearing the plate like Lieutenant Hinamori. Was this a recent promotion? How had she gotten it is she's been missing for a whole month? What isn't Captain Ukitake telling me?

His hands fell to his side, his gaze being tossed over his shoulder to the still waiting duo of what felt like seated officers, if weak ones, before turning back on the man who this all started with.

"Please...Ukitake-Taichou…"

"Kuchiki Byakuya has been leading the investigation since week two of her absence. Any further details you'd like to have divulged to you will need to be gotten from him." He said before moving to leave his seat and gather his tossed away pages, the two by the door quickly rushed in and picked them up alongside him. Sora felt his lips quiver as they split and spread into a wide smile. His arms widen and he enveloped the captain in a crushing bear hug.

"Thank you!" He cried spinning the older man around, much to the dismay of everyone else, he quickly released the man and left, he needed to get to the sixth divisions compound immediately.

"Jeez, what was his deal?" Sentaro huffed, collecting pages along the corner of the room.

"No clue...but he shouldn't have gotten to hug Ukitake-Taichou…" Kiyone sulked.

Jushiro did his best to not fall over, he'd become immensely dizzy from the hug.

Many shinigami cried out in shock as a brown haired blur bolted past them...

Steam rose gently into the air, and after a moment a gloved hand came down and rose the tea-pot before gently tipping it over and letting the hot contents spill into the cobalt blue cup on the desk of her superior. Slowly it moved and filled the cup belonging to yet another of her superiors. Lastly she filled her own and put the teapot away before sitting before the desk of her captain, and beside her lieutenant.

She stared into the calm green liquid in her cup, the rising steam alluring. She restrained herself, it would be unbefitting of her to drink before either of her two she sat there and waited, noticing that Renji was as stiff as a board. While it had become more common in the recent events for them to be called upon by their captain and asked to sit within his office, it hadn't changed the fact that Kuchiki Byakuya was one of the more intimidating captains.

Almost as if realizing that his two subordinates were waiting for him, Byakuya set his parchments down and took a single sip of his tea. The two before him rushed to do the same. Of the two, he felt more inclined that his third seat had done it more gracefully, but they were both pitiful attempts to appear natural. To his left sat Abarai Renji, lieutenant, and trustworthy fighter. To his right sat Tsubaki Rin, his recently appointed third seat, but begrudging confidant.

As Byakuya cleared his throat, readying to ask for today's updates, he heard the startled calls from unseated members of his division.

"Hey! You can't go in there!"

And.

"Stop! Stop!"

But suddenly his office door was practically torn open, and as a panting from exhaustion the shinigami stared into the room, Byakuya immediately recalled this one. One of the hand outs from the seventh division, a low level shinigami being sent out to gain experience. He himself had sent out many of his own, Rin being one among them, and was pleased at how they returned..those that did return anyway, confident, calmer, stronger. The only problem with their return was the simple fact that they had let his adopted sister remain behind!

"Who are you?" He spoke as if uninterested, few knew of his hunt to find his sister, fewer still knew that he'd been sending his agents into the living world to scour for her. And fewer than even those knew how much sleep he'd been losing because of it...meaning he'd become increasingly snappy.

"Oshiro Sora, Kuchiki-Taichou, please, I'd like to be let in on the investigation regarding Kuchiki Rukia." He bowed, still in the open door.

Byakuya gave him and icy stare that neither of the other two in the room envied. They'd long for attention from their captain, but they would prefer to never be looked upon like that.

"Come in. Close the door. And explain how you know of this."

The tall shinigami slid the door closed behind him before walking forward and sitting beside Rin, the girl seemed to stiffen almost like coming across someone she'd once known and dreaded meeting again, or having anyone associate them together.

"I was a member of Commander Kuchiki Rukia's Living Word Expedition Force. Upon arriving to the final destination of our tour we were instructed by her to return home...I had been meaning to contact Kuchiki-san earlier but due to my responsibilities I had to patiently await a leave notice. As of today as oh-seven-hundred hours, I am on leave."

"Get to the point." Byakuya hissed.

"Upon visiting Kuchiki Rukia's division barracks I was told of her being MIA, (Missing. In. Action.), after speaking with Ukitake-Taichou, I was told you were leading the investigation...I would like to offer my assistance."

Byakuya stared at the young man sitting before him, he was willing to admit he was tired, but far too stubborn to actually go to sleep. He shuddered at the thought of leaving something like this in the hands of his lessers. It was bad enough he'd been using them to search for her…But then it clicked. The young one who had barged in on him was on leave, further than that, he was of a different squad.

"Oshiro. Sora. Are you willing to give your all to assist?" Byakuya calmly threw him the bone he'd been begging for.

"Yes! I'll do whatever I can!"

"Well then...I hope your ready to return to the living world…"

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

The air finally began to settle and as one orange haired boy fell backward, his double loomed over him, blade hovering dangerously over his throat. The building the stood upon was cut apart, deep gashes cut into the skyscraper, rubble littered the field, glass was cracked and missing in places, and bits of rebar support poked through every so often.

"Looks like I win." White happily said stabbing his sword down into the building beside Ichigo's head. Golden eyes met, even now, chips from both mask were coming down and falling to the side.

Ichigo growled before spinning, catching Whites leg, and sending the blade spirit tumbling.

As the distorted version of himself rolled away, cursing the whole time, Ichigo found his footing and drew the other blade from the building it was stabbed into. The air around him grew red as a black flame spread across his face, the parts of his mask that had been broken away or dissolved returned. Red mist seemed to come to life around him, and was quickly drawn into both blades. The length of both katanas quickly became a deep glowing crimson, and as White finally got his bearing he found himself staring down a lengthy stretch, where at the end his wielder seemed more than ready to release whatever load he'd been gathering.

"Suck it!" Ichigo screamed, his distorted voice echoing the mindscape, as the twin blades were swung sending crescent shaped waves of burning hollow energy down at the unprepared spirit.

"Oh shit!" Was all Ichigo heard as the waves crashed against his blade spirit and exploded.

The debris was flung off the building from the shock wave, and as the smoke cleared Ichigo peered into it intently, before he felt the soft tugging from the mirror sown in his off hand. Releasing his hold over it let the blade go spinning off into the smoke where a pale white hand reached up and grabbed it hilt first.

"Not bad, but it needs a flashy name, something that says 'don't fuck with me'. Don't you agree?" White said, calmly, as he sheathed his sword and walked toward his wielder, the mask on his face cracking and and vanishing in a red mist.

Ichigo sighed and pulled his own mask off before tossing it aside, before it even hit the ground it vanished in a red haze.

"Give me a couple days I'll think of something, anything else you want to go over before I head back out?"

The zanpakuto spirit laughed at that before becoming deadly serious, "How about you get some real world training. Getting the mind ready to use these abilities is one thing...actually using them is another."

Ichigo scoffed. It hadn't been that long at all since he had come in here and been explained the nature of his hollow powers. Surprising, and shocking? Definitely, but when had that stopped him before. His hazel orbs quivered as he noticed that he was waking up. Time always seem to run up whenever he was kicking White's ass.

"Yeah, I'll just go up to Hat-and-clogs and tell him I need to master my hollow powers!"

"I don't care how you do it! Just do it!" was the reply Ichigo got before his head slammed against the wooden surface of his desk.

The mental world he had just inhabited was gone, and if the reflection in the window was to be trusted, so where his golden eyes resting on a sea of darkness...he gagged at the poetic description he had just used. With a sigh he stood and took his bag.

"Umm...Ichigo, class isn't over yet!" their teacher called from the board, half her face hidden behind an attendance booklet.

"Oh. Is that so?"

The whole room, save for several individuals, stiffened as Ichigo glared over his shoulder, his bows knit together and his forehead wrinkled as the suffocating will seemed to flow off him. He was daring someone, anyone to say something. For a moment it appeared as if the black haired boy with glasses in the front row was about to stand and say something before the teacher found her courage.

"T-that's right, please return to your seat...so that I can complete the lesson…"

Silent prayers were being spoken for the unmarried school teacher. Many of the class had grown so familiar with Misato...to the point where it'd be a shame for her to quit from the mere fear instilled into others by Ichigo's presence.

"Okay, sure." Ichigo said as he returned to his chair, getting a shocked gasped from the collective room. Everyone stared, their eyes bugging out of their skulls, and as Misato turned to continue writing on the board, the lunch bell rang.

As the collective student body vacated the premises, the poor teacher seemed sullen at realizing that he had only done as asked because of the close proximity of the bell.

Ichigo found the collective forms of Keigo, Mizuiro, Sado, and…

"Hey, wheres Rukia and Tatsuki?" Ichigo as pulling a wrapped sandwich from his bag. The group had forgone their usual rooftop hangout spot in favor of putting some desk together. It didn't change much, it just meant now they had less people trying to take their claimed space.

"Tatsuki took Rukia to have lunch with the other girls." Mizuiro said, nursing the bruise along his jaw. While many would say he had gotten lucky, he still felt Ichigo had overreacted.

"Wonder what their talking about…" Keigo said, stuffing some teriyaki chicken in his mouth.

Ichigo stared at his friend, and fellow shinigami, with a look of someone who was absolutely stupefied. He let his jaw hang open for a second longer than was absolutely required, "Why do you care?"

The brunette boy rose his eyes to his fellow soul reaper. He had thought of it as a pretty basic question, nothing extremely special or otherwise strage… "Who knows. Maybe I'm hoping someone in Tatsuki's group is crushing on me!"

"Doubtful." Mizuiro, Ichigo, Sado, and an unknown fourth voice all said in unison. Whilst Keigo let his head dangle, streams of exaggerated tears spilling from his eyes, everyone else turned to the source of the mysterious voice. It was a lean, pale skinned, boy with long and silky black hair with glasses. He also a bright purple spot around his left eye, and cust along his right.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, a moment of your time, please." He spoke, carefully. Very measured tone.

"No. Fuck off before I give ya' a shiner to match the left." Ichigo spat, biting into his turkey sandwich.

"It'd be fitting considering you were the one who gave it to me." The boy said, seemingly more agitated than before.

Sado was the one to connect the dots, being that he was in the hall when Ichigo had started handing out knuckle sandwiches. It had taken a minute to recall, considering he had only caught a glimpse of the kid after Ichigo had sent him flying.

"Ishida Uryu, right?"

Uryu simply fixed his glasses in response, his lips curling upward into a smirk. His confidence seemed to roll off of him in waves. It was obvious he was seeking some kind of confrontation. Even if they wanted to stop what happened next, the wheels were already in motion, as Ichigo drop kicked him out of the room.

"So! Glasses is looking for a fight?" He cracked his knuckles, "Well then...get ready for murder."

Ichigo sped forward, his vision locked on the single target, he could feel it, it was pent up, boxed away. But there, deep within the boy who'd com up to him. Was a pool of reiryoku. He had closed the distance quickly enough, but his element of surprise was spent. His swings were ducked under, his kicks were side stepped. It was a boring back and forth, he'd push, Uryu would avoid, neither would get anywhere.

"Would you control yourself!" Uryu urged, his first counter of the 'fight' thrown, the flick had stunned Ichigo. The way the kid was evading him spoke of superior speed, but the precision, the way his fingers stabbed his forehead...was a whole new kind of jarring, "I wished to speak with you privately!"

Ichigo stopped. His whole world feeling cold, bitterly cold. His hazel eyes seemed to glaze as he pondered the words. He was never one to stop. To speak with others...what was the point? Keigo was the one who would sit down, talk to people, let them in...it was never his thing.

"Lead the way…" Ichigo finally said.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Orihime pressed her shoulder against Rukia's. The other girls had become distracted, obsessing over Hana's new boyfriend, and Tatsuki's sudden lack of one. The violet eyes girl paused, she'd been zoned out this whole time, while she might have been slowly acclimating to the whole socializing aspect of being stuck in the living world, much of it remained boring to her.

"Yes...Inoue-chan?"

The burnt orange haired girl sighed, a nervous look skidding around the back of her eyes, her finger tips pressing together.

"Kojima-kuns...been telling everyone, that you and Kurosaki-kun...are dating…"

Orihime had to duck back as a spray of tea was ejected from Rukia's mouth. The black haired girl bent forward and began to cough, everyone had turned, suddenly hearing the exchange and realizing the potential gossip that could arise from it. Though Rukia quickly collected herself and and smiled back at Orihime.

"Nope. Me and Ichigo are barely even friends!" She spoke, quickly, much to quickly. She hadn't had enough to time to properly rehearse but, that hadn't helped it seemed any less fake.

Everyone gave the girl a critical eye, some held back their scoff of disbelief, others were not quite so kind, a few seemed to brighten at the idea that Ichigo was still single or that at least Rukia wasn't dating him, and the rest were some intermiden mix of uninterested without the chance for details.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

The two stared at one another, the roof had cleared out, lunch was quickly coming to a close. The two had short gap between them, Ichigo had prefered to take to leaning against the fence for the talk, while Uryu remained stock still. Their eyes connected for a moment, the glint of Ishida's glasses gave off some mysterious, and so very frustrating, air. It hadn't taken a lot of willpower to follow behind Ishida, but the smug attitude had grown so thick, that Ichigo was about to start swinging very soon.

"I am a quincy, and I know what you are." Uryu suddenly said. Killing the still silence between them.

Ichigo gave him a raised brow, "There's this thing called context...wanna use it?"

"Don't be smart. It hardly suits you, I know you are a Shinigami!"

Had it been sooner, had he been less experienced at keeping his cool, he may have spilled some kind of information, but he was long past that point of his life, "A what?"

"Stop! I've seen you! Slaying hollows. Running around, swinging around that cursed sword!" Uryu proclaimed, his rage getting the better of him.

Ichigo sighed, he was aware of spiritually aware human, Keigo had been one, Tatsuki had become one, and many more littered the world they lived in. But what did it change, what proof could he have?

"Yeah? You've seen **me** have you? Can you prove it?"

"As a matter of fact…" Uryu turned and withdrew several expertly drawn and shaded manga panels depicting Ichigo slaying various hollows.

Where had he kept those? Was he seriously convinced his drawings counted as proof...even if they were of fights he remembered having.

"These are cool lookin' and all...but that doesn't mean I'm the hero in your story."

"No, you dolt, these prove that I've seen and captured your escapades!"

Had it ever been stated that patience was not Ichigo's strong point? Had anyone ever come up to another and told them that the orange haired demon of Karakura was a saintly kind of soul who would be as patient as could be with others...they'd have been lying to you on a scale of epic proportions. Had you believed them, you would have been labeled a fool of even grander proportions.

Ishida found himself stilling, two fingers pressed neaty to the center of his forehead, a hand gripping his shoulder, in an instant the boy who'd been leaning against the fence was in his face, and the ocean of stil reiryoku within him was suddenly storming and focused in two points. It hadn't taken Uryu long to realize which points they were.

"Let me make something clear to you...I-shi-da," Uryu shivered, his name had never been spoken so coldly before, and the killing intent was so thick...it felt like drowning in a sea of blood, "I don't much care about people. Especially those that go digging where they shouldn't."

Uryu would have said something, but the feeling of static against his forehead kept him still. He had seen it once before, recently in fact, the very orange haired boy that stood before him had cast a blast of lighting that tore apart the dark sky and completely charred the wing of the hollow he'd been after.

"Consider this a warning. You can keep knowing what you know. Keep doing what you're doing even...but if you get to close...you'll wished I'd used pale lightning right now…"

He wa shoved, pushed away, sweat coming down his face, as he stared into the deep pools of brown, the eyes that in class seemed so lazy, uncaring, were now icy and menacing. It was as if staring into the gaping maw of a hollow. The blackness within that would envelope you. Uryu remained on the ground as Ichigo entered the building. Uryu hadn't understood just how close he was to death in that moment…

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **A/N:** _Hey guys, so chapter 13 isn't even close to being started, but I finished this, and had two reviews to reply to so I figured I'd post it anyway. I hope the story still makes sense and that your enjoying the read!  
_

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	13. Consequence of Power

**A/N: REVIEW REPLIES**

 **Scarease:** _He sure does doesn't he. Nothing like ending a conversation with a death threat to show how charismatic you are! Honestly reading your review had me in stitches. Thanks for reviewing.  
_

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 _She saw Ichigo standing there with a horribly tired look upon his face. He ignored her questioning gaze in favor of walking over to the phone and calling up Keigo, then he proceeded to give to her the mod soul ejector, it was shaped like a cutesy rabbit, for future scenarios._

Tatsuki let her forehead press against the mirror of the bathroom, her right hand propped up against the wall to keep her steady, her left had been inside her pocket since she'd gotten up that morning. Her thumb continued to rub against the smooth length of the mod soul ejector. Her breath had fogged up a portion of the mirror but she could still see the dark rings around her eyes. She could feel tendrils of sleep encroaching on her. Before it could be stopped cold water splashed against her face, it was cold, too cold, she shivered. Two steps back her reflection stared into her. It was her, smiling, in her shihakusho, in the distance she could make out Ichigo giving her a glance over his shoulder, and beside her Keigo was smiling enthusiastically.

Three knocks echoed in the room, she turned the presence at the door was one she could find in a maelstrom. It was her source. The origin point for her, Tatsuki gulped a distant feeling of nervousness enveloping her. She'd been unable to focus lately, the nights would be filled with terrifying dreams, and the days were packed full of school and hollow hunting. Rukia had been throwing her off more so. Her mere presence seemed to be enough to completely destabilize her. Tatsuki felt her hand tighten around the ejector. It wasn't fair, having all of this dropped on her, she never asked, she never really wanted it. Her hands shook as she looked at them, she'd been getting thinner lately...she hated being stuck in her body, she'd leave it lying around Urahara shop and feel fine until she had to hop back in. Her stomach always felt like it was eating itself, and she'd drink a whole pale of water upon returning to her physical body.

Three more knocks sounded, "Tatsuki. It's me, Rukia, I was hoping to discuss something with you."

Tatsuki drew in a shaky breath, it rattled her entire body, her eyes glancing back at the mirror, it was her again. Stuck here, in a bathroom… She sighed dragging both hands across her face. She'd kill for a nap. All she wanted was a few moments of not worrying, but she was still hyper sensitive to reiryoku, the weakest E-Class hollow would trip her senses on high alert, leaving her wired for hours after. She'd gotten along fine the first little while before she began subconsciously doing it.

"I'll be right out." Tatsuki said to the door as she sat down on the toilet, the seat and lid both lowered, her elbows resting on her knees as she buried her face in her palms. Her eyes slowly fluttered closed, and remained that way, before a sudden energy filled her senses again. Out of nowhere a hollow, a strong one she thought, was nearby, it was pounding at the edges of her senses. It's loud cries and shrieks deafening her. Her teeth sunk deep into her bottom lip until the metallic taste filled her mouth, it was a welcomed distraction...distraction…

She pushed off the toilet and up to the door, she pulled it open and smiled down at the wide-eyed Rukia standing there. Her violet eyes shining under the artificial light, and her silky black hair hanging loosely. She was wearing a sundress and had a wrist full of bangles, Tatsuki wondered where she had gotten those but said nothing of it but said nothing of it regardless.

"You needed to talk to me right?" She beamed.

"Yes I did it has to-" Rukia never finished as Tatsuki covered her mouth, a cool palm pressed against her lips.

"Hold that thought! We can discuss it more at Orihime's!" Tatsuki suggested, insisted, as she intertwined Rukia's fingers with her own and pulled her from the dorm area of Urahara shop. As they passed they bid farewell to Jinta and Ururu who were working on their next chapter of their hit manga, only those of the shop read it, Gotcha G-Man!

Urahara was pinned to the floor by a growling Yoruichi, papers scattered the area around his office floor, Tessai was patiently sitting outside with a broom and dustpan. Rukia had barely taken any of this in as they blasted past the front door, a quick goodbye to an exhausted Keigo who had spent his evening on Hollow Patrol while Ichigo visited Yuzu. His brown eyes seemed dull for a moment before he turned his head.

"Tatsuki? Where are you two going!?" He called after them, a hopeful look on his face.

Tatsuki turned, feeling more refreshed than she had in days, and called back to the veteran soul reaper, "Girls night at Orihime! Tell Urahara for me!"

Keigo sighed to himself as the two girls vanished from his sights. He'd been hoping to have Rukia here to question her about her experience with shikai, and other shinigami sorts of things. His attention was drawn to a slowly approaching Yoruichi and Ururu.

"You two are leaving too?" He asked in almost disbelief.

Yoruichi offered a tauntingly lustful smirk to him as she brushed a strand of hair from her face, "Haven't you heard, girls night at Orihime's. I recommend you find a way to get Ichigo out of that stuffy hospital and have a boys night."

Keigo watched them disappear and thought over the words. He'd been given the herculean task of getting Ichigo to leave the hospital room his kid sister was stuck in, beyond that he was also tasked with convincing the others in there little social circle to enjoy a night together. The exasperated breath left him quicker than he thought normal as he realized the improbability of this happening, the planets would align and the stars would dance in the night sky before he managed to get everyone together for something like that. Finally passing the threshold of the shop he came face to chest with the bodybuilding store assistant. Tessai for those not in the know.

"Did I hear Miss Yoruichi correctly?" He asked, no context.

"Depends on what you heard big guy." Keigo threw back, peeling his face from the mans pectorals.

"A guys night...she said that...correct?"

Keigo was torn, he could lie but something told him Tessai really wanted this, "Yeah...she said that…"

"Wondrous! I shall invite your friends, please go and retrieve Ichigo." Tessai said turning toward Urahara.

Left abandoned at the door way Keigo hopelessly stared into the empty spot the massive man had just occupied. His lips quivering in a pout as he thought about how he got himself in these kinds of situations. He found his body huddled behind the desk, the joints would feel like hell and he'd be feeling stiff for hours after...He kicked himself, letting the soulless gigai sprawl out, he'd re-enter it after getting Ichigo.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Tatsuki opened the door and paused. Standing there was the dark skinned masted of all things combat, Shihouin Yoruichi, and beside her was the manga artist and shop assistant with the permanent blush, Tsumugiya Ururu.

"Oh...I wasn't expecting you…" Tatsuki then noticed the way Ururu was staring into her very soul a saddening thought as her shoulders dropped a feeling unwantedness emitting from her, "...so soon! I wasn't expecting yo uso soon, please come in!"

And come in they did. It took no time at all for Orihime to warm up to Ururu, and Yoruichi decided to break out the folding table and teach a bunch of teenagers, and an eleven year old, how to play poker.

Submitting herself to the all powerful force that was the combat specialist Yoruichi she sat at the table and decided to play along for a game or two. Until she looked out the window and realized they'd played the whole day away!

Her gaze returned to the table to see only Rukia was still sitting there, staring intently at her hand, Yoruichi had dozed off on the couch, and Orihime and Ururu were having a discussion in the kitchen. Tatsuki only overheard one part of it.

"What are you doing?" Ururu asked suddenly to Orihime.

"Hm? Oh! Umm...I really only like the peel of the apple," Orihime scratched the back of her head while laughing at her own habits.

She threw her hand down and Rukia smirked victoriously reaching in and taking all the chappy the rabbit shaped cookies. Her victory dance was cut short when she saw the worried look in Tatsuki's eyes.

"Hey, Tatsuki, can I talk to you outside?"

It had been sudden, sudden enough for Tatsuki to not perceive it properly. She felt even tireder than when she had dragged Rukia here. Her feel dragged across the floor as she silently followed the shorter girl outside.

"You haven't used the mod-soul ejector yet." Rukia said as soon as Tatsuki closed the door behind her.

It was embarrassing. She was ruining herself because she was nervous about letting some artificial soul inhabit her body for a while, it felt like a childish thing but the thought sickened her. Even if she was slowly killing herself...it was her body, why should she let any other soul, artificial or not, in it?

"Yes that's quite true," Rukia said, allowing Tatsuki to realize she had said all that aloud, was she really that tired? "I never considered how you would feel about it. Shinigami have artificial bodies constructed for them whenever it is necessary...but that is your body. The one you've inhabited since birth. I should have found a better alternative…."

Tatsuki wanted to cry. She hated burdening others, she had learn Karate to defend herself, she had studied hard to stay near the top of the class, she had put up with the grating social interactions to remain informed about the goings on at school, all so she wouldn't need to burden others or be overly dependent on people. She'd rather be the crane than the load it carried. Her palm wiped a tear that spilled from her eye. Her throat was tight as words began to bubble up within it like a cauldron.

"Tomorrow...with Urahara and them, I'll do it. I'll use…"

Rukia was surprised, and just as she opened her mouth to object the door burst open and Yoruichi stepped out, she flashed the phone in her hand to the pair of girls outside.

"Sorry about this, but Kisuke just called, I have to make a house call!" She explained before leaping from the balcony, her clothing flittering to the ground below as her cat form landed on the roof opposite of them., "Oh! And take care of Ururu!" her much deeper cat voice called back.

Tatsuki felt the sweat drop roll down her temple. She'd...never get used to that. But, seeing as she'd signed her death warrant, or something similar, she pulled open the door and headed inside, Ururu was curled up in a blanket like a burrito and snuggled against Orihime. Tatsuki would have apologised, but found herself drifting to sleep where she stood, so instead opted for the comfier option and rested her head on Orihime's thigh and began to dream.

Rukia stared at the scene with mild disbelief, unable to hold back her chuckle. She wandered over to the group and sat across from Orihime, who seemed all too happy to be used as bedding, and rested her chin in the palm of her hand while planting her elbow on the table.

"Thank you for having us. It was very kind of you to allow us to spend the day, and night." Rukia offered, conversations with the bubbly girl would hopefully lull her to sleep, she wasn't sure she'd be able to fall asleep outside of her closet.

"No, it's fine, I actually quite enjoy the company. Though...I kind of wish...Kurosaki-kun was here…" Orihime knew her voice was getting quieter with each word but did nothing to raise it. She could barely handle the thought of being in the same classroom as Ichigo, how would she spend a whole evening with him!?

"You really care for him." Rukia said, a distant smile on her face.

Orihime felt her cheeks warm as she nodded her reply. But felt her heart tremble, his friend group had grown, he was letting people in...but she couldn't enter, everyone contributed something...she would only be a background character in his life…

"I...wish I could be more help to him…" Orihime whispered, Rukia heard her wish, her chest felt tighter and a warm feeling spread through her.

"On monday...how about you, me, and Tatsuki eat lunch with him and the others?" Rukia offered, the strange tightness in her chest slowly fading.

Orihime never answered as she suddenly fell asleep.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

A red peel dangled between two pale fingers, it edges were shoddy and it had bits of white flesh from the apple it had been carved from. A critical eye took it in before finally breathing out and shaking her head. The peel was held at an arm's length to an orange haired boy who sat near by with a large bag of apples.

"Sorry Ichi-nii, this one isn't any good either…" She said quietly, as if scared to voice her complaint.

A warm smile graced the teens face, his hand came out and gently took the peel before dropping it into a nearly full bin by his side. Beside him the remaining child of the Kurosaki family, Karin, munched pleasantly of her apple. She'd lost count a while ago. After dropping the peel he pulled another pristine apple from the bag and began to carve away, gently and precise, slow and methodical. The peel was one long stretch, a spiraling ribbon of crimson color. He happily cut it from the apples flesh and handed it to the bedridden ginger haired girl. Yuzu let her trembling hand float over her brothers for a second before brushing against his fingers and pinching the apple peel. Bringing it close her brown eyes looked it over before she smiled, genuinely, truthfully, actually smiled. Her head tilted to one side as she practically glowed.

"Ichi-nii! It's perfect!" She exclaimed as her smile grew.

A sudden wind blew through the wind, to one of the girls it was just a strange wind that carried a chill; but Karin and Ichigo saw it as Keigo phasing through the wall of the hospital. Keigo had always been better at phasing that Ichigo. However his attention quickly returned to his frowning sister, nearly in tears, as she had shivered from the sudden wind and dropped her apple peel into the trash bin. Her form shook as she covered her mouth, "Ichi-nii I'm so sorry!" She cried, suddenly, beggingly searching his eyes for forgiveness.

Ichigo closed his eyes and tilted his head smiling, "Well that's too bad ne? Guess i'll just have to peel you another one!" He removed the next apple from the bag and calmly peeled it.

Karing looked at her brother with a raised brow before staring back into her half eaten apple. As she munched away on it she filed that particular sight for later, no point in laying into Ichigo when he was trying so hard for Yuzu. Though the way the brunette ghost was cowering implied something that she'd really have to dig deep for. Her attention returned to the present as a peeled apple was thrusted in her direction, Yuzu was silently nibbling on the peel.

Ichigo rose to his feet, "Please, excuse me, I have to make a call." He offered before stepping out of the room, Keigo on his heels.

When he slid the door closed Ichigo pressed his back against the wall and crossed his arm, his scowl returning to its normal place. His eyes dared Keigo to say something, begged him to give him the reason for his sudden appearance. The fact that Keigo had yet to even dare open his mouth spoke volumes of how pointless this conversation was about to be. He considered ditching his body and having a sparring match with him to give his long time friend an idea of how eude what he just did was. But he'd never get to act upon the idea as Urahara suddenly stepped between them, a seriously look to him that Ichigo hadn't seen for quite some time.

"Hat-and-clogs? What do you want?" Ichigo asked, he had a clue but it paid dividends to play the fool sometimes.

His eyes felt grim and as much as Ichigo resented the man before him for all he'd done, all his secrets, his schemes and plans, and so much more...he knew when he had to admit who knew better and he had to listen.

"Your sister...Kurosaki Yuzu...won't heal."

Ichigo felt the world stop beneath him. His eyes grew wider than saucers. Where had that come from, just a few days ago he had been slapping a bangles on her wrist and proclaiming her cured to the world, and now he was told it failed!

His nails dug deeply into his palms as he took in the shakiest breath of his life. Everything was spinning, every muscle in him was tense, he wanted nothing more than to abandon his body and cut the man before him to cube shaped bits. But he stopped, he ran a hand over his face and through his hair, it was trembling, his whole body shook. From rage or from worry he still hadn't decided.

"Clarify. _Now_." Ichigo hissed, nearly reaching to grip his collar like he would while interrogating street punks.

"The hollow energy your giving off, while faint, is impeding her recovery. Normally it wouldn't matter but for quincy about to develop their powers, even the slightest bit of Hollow reiryoku is toxic."

He heard it. The shattering, the entire realm of reality around him. It was viewed through a glass pane that was tinted black and littered with fractures. His back pressed against the wall and he slid down it. His knees rising to his chest, his forehead pressing against them as he hid. He hid from their truths. He hid from the reality before him. He hid from it all, every fact and detail and obscure little thing that existed in that moment. He couldn't bare to face any of it. The hollow attack wasn't killing his sister. Hat-and-clogs shoddy devices hadn't impeded her recover. It was him, his presence was keeping her here. The bright sun that kept him from being blinded was being eclipsed by this hospital, held within its cold halls, because of him. Ichigo felt hot tears well up in his eyes as ruffling fabric echoed in the hall around him.

"For the time being...you can't be around Yuzu. And until we know otherwise, you should avoid Karin too…I've already called your father…"

Ichigo couldn't hold it. The weight of the situation bearing down upon him, from all around him. His meaning, his desire to protect his sisters, to be strong enough to stop any threat to them...it was gone now, he was alone…

Standing back to his full height hazel eyes bore into Kisuke, "Alright, please give them an excuse as to why I won't be returning." Ichigo spoke, his voice cold even compared to the hospital around them. Even Keigo shivered upon hearing it.

Keigo wanted to reach out, call out to his friend, maybe telling him about 'guys night' would help take his mind off things. As his hand came up and his lips parted, ready to call out after him, a tight grip appeared on his wrist. He turned to find the blond shop owner shaking his head, an obvious 'no' but why?

Ichigo had vanished from sight, behind him he could feel Isshin-sensei fast approaching. It wouldn't be more than several minutes before he arrived. With a tired sigh, Keigo used shunpo to vacate the area.

Isshin came upon the still and stiff Urahara with a worried look, "Where is he?"

"My apologies Isshin, but you just missed him."

Isshin frowned, he hurriedly wiped the sweat from his brow and smiled widely before entering his daughters room. Kisuke stared back out, the sky was grey, a storm was coming into town. It would start right about when the one brewing within his student came out. Sighing he turned and began walking away. He needed some tea…and to make a call….

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

A two headed hollow roared in defiance, one of it's eight legs had been but off in an instant, it was being played with. The sound echoed and carried for miles, small pods on its back burst open and small black petal began filling the street. A brush of something over the petals caused them to explode into spines. They glistened in the dying light, the sun was just about to set. Similar to its life. Both mask were cut horizontally, the golden glow within them seeing one last sight before vanishing completely. A head of orange hair, and golden eyes.

The blackened ash was carried on the wind, and sweat cascaded down his face, his shihakusho was torn in several places, this hollow had been the most recent in his recent chain of purgings.

' _Them...it's their fault, they attacked her first!'_ Distorted thoughts bellowed within an empty mind, he failed to remain in the air his control over his own reiryoku wavering. His feet flapped against the concrete, it was wet...his head turned skyward and in fact rain was coming down upon them. The streets were bare, and only a few rushing humans remained under the grey sky. He spat, a mixture of saliva and blood, his hand reflexively came to the part of his abdomen that a ram hollow had hit. It hurt, worse than any hit he'd sustained in recent memory. But he fought through it, his muscles burned. His head ached. His fingers were numb. His heart pounded heavily in the walls on his chest. His teeth pressed against one another.

He tore away the remaining part of his shihakusho top, the black kosode. Leaving only the white shitagi underneath. His skin was paler than normal and the white of his eyes was growing dark. He found himself staring into the rippled reflection of a puddle...he saw his blade spirit staring up at him with a grimace. His foot kicked away the reflection, his brows knit together as he roared at where it had once been.

It wasn't fair. What had he done? He'd been forced into this. He'd taken what he could get...to become stronger...how was he supposed to know…!? He jumped, high, and landed atop the third story roof of a small apartment building, not a soul or hollow in sight. He growled as he stabbed his blade into the roofing and rested against the vents. He needed to shut his eyes for a moment, just a quick one, some rest would wash it away the pain the agony. Better yet, he'd wake up, it'd all been one horrible nightmare. He'd never met Kisuke, he'd never met Keigo...never met White…

His lips were forced aparts as he bared his teeth, his golden eyes searching the grey sky, the sky that was quickly becoming black as the daylight faded. He could feel the familiar sting in his eyes, he refused to cry, instead he screamed. Loudly his shrill vocal cords tore themselves to pieces as screamed at the heavens, lightning flashing through the clouds and thunder clapping in the moments after. His lungs burned as he exhausted his air screaming into the sky.

He fell to his side, panting, his hand balled into a fist as it rested in a puddle. A small black figure sat patiently at the edge of the rood, passively staring at him. Yoruichi's cat, he realized. He was in no mood to play pet sitter, in an even worse mood to get talked down to by a talking cat...the cat that had been here at the start of it all. Its form began to shimmer and as suddenly as the cat had appeared in his view it gone...replaced by the form of his teacher. Yoruichi. She walked over and crouched before him, her finger rubbing soothing circles against his cheek.

"Your upset...would you tell me why?" She asked.

Ichigo stared into her golden irises. He was settling he knew. Projecting he was sure. But what else could he do?

He was up and throwing his arms around her in a second, his face buried in the crook of her neck. They way she hugged him back without hesitation, the way it felt so familiar hurt...but it felt too nice to give up.

Yoruichi said nothing as the fifteen year old shinigami in her arms silently cried into her shoulder.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **A/N:** _A set up chapter mostly, next chapter we tackle Kon...I'm already dreading it. Aside from that, I have the rest of season one's episodes and summaries bookmarked, so I've been thinking about how it's gonna work, and I think I may just surprise you! Maybe, who knows..._

 _Not much to really say, I was considering of keeping this in the folder until I finished the Kon segment and staple it on, but I figured I liked this as a stopping point. Also, originally we were going to see this whole thing with Ichigo and_ then _switch to Girls Night, but I thought switching it around gave a better tone.  
_

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	14. All I want is your name

**A/N:** _Note at the bottom, please read._

 **midnightscar17:** _It's kind of a spoiler to say, but not really. I said before that you'd see Keigo's before Ichigo's. Also he's almost gotten it twice now but both times felts wrong and didn't have the weight I wanted the scene to carry. If I had to give you a hard set chapter for it? I don't have one, I have no idea how many chapter are left in this Arc honestly. I was planning on holding off until the Soul Society Arc commenced, maybe even waiting till we got half way through it, but at the end I just decided that it'll happen when it happens. Sorry if this wasn't what you wanted to hear. I can promise he'll definitely have it before the end of the Soul Society Arc._

[Bleach Thy Soul]

The sun poked past the distant line of the horizon, its warming glow bathing the sky in warm orange. The mornings twilight had just begun, and with it the populace of Karakura was slowly rising, many of them slowly and groggily kicking away their covers with complaints of the night not lasting long enough. But on the outskirts of the small city, one orange haired boy was already awake. Just on the outskirts his body cloaked in the garments of the dead sped by the trees, his feet kissing the ground for mere seconds at a time before kicking back off into the air and propelling him forward, his body a blur as he approached the walled area. Intricately crafted stone pillars with a flat and unimaginative stone wall of medium height played the part of barrier in his goal. With one strong kick he was high in the air, his garments flapping as the wind brushed against him. He angled himself and touched down atop a large statue, a bald man in a kimono with three swords and short beard. Karakura Matsumoto. The founder of this little city. His eyes scanned over the landscape, the scent of freshly cut grass sticking to the morning air. Ichigo ran a hand across his forehead, soft mist indicating the likelihood of sweating was clear on his skin. He spat at the thought that a ninety-nine kilometer run could make him break a sweat.

Shrugging away the thought he jumped off, his goal was nearby now. He remained airborne for a long while, not flying just the effect of his jump carrying him forward. Eventually his body began to arc and descend. His sandaled foot met the brick pathway. And he approached the small marker, the name engraved upon it had been in his thoughts for countless days now, the death date on it had been plaguing him for countless more. He removed his sheathed blade, beads and all, from his side and placed it on his lap and his sat before the marker. He bowed his head and clasped his hands in a soft prayer. His eye twitched halfway through.

"You'd probably ask why I'm so early...why aren't Yuzu, Karin, or goat face with me? It'd be like you to fret and assume something's wrong...In a way, i suppose it is…" Ichigo began, his thumb rubbing the grooves of the guard of his sword. His throat seemed to constrict around him, he debated how to continue. It had never been easy to talk here, about life. The life he continued to live while she was taken away. He swallowed the blimp sized lump that formed in his throat and and stared at the marker, more intently than before.

"I can't be around Yuzu or Karin, so I wanted to visit you now...before I go. I'm leaving town, only for a little while, so that I can become stronger...strong enough to stand alone, so that no one will ever get caught in my mistakes like you did…"

Ichigo brushed away the dust on the marker before standing and beginning his run, he still had a whole day's journey ahead of him. So with bated breath he resumed his trek, his hesitance dying with each rapid step he put between himself and everyone who remained quietly slumbering at Urahara Shop.

His reiryoku bubbled within him before evening out, some of it coming up and extending into his limbs before bursting outward, his shunpo was a decent, even if he still couldn't beat Yoruichi with it. It still worked wonder for travelling. He could see the ground around him become a rapid moving color before suddenly being deposited in a location dozens of meters from his starting point. He was well aware of the fact that he should very well be able to see within the flash space but he'd worry about refining that after he accomplished what he set out to do today. The similar feeling of his reiryoku as before repeated itself, as he blinked to a new spot, once there he did it again, and again, and again, and again, until he stopped to shudder. It was so very strange leaving behind Yoruichi and Urahara, and Keigo's reiatsu fields. Suddenly what little weight they unconsciously applied to the area they inhabited. He smiled, it was refreshing being free of it all, away from those who so soundly pound him to the floor…

He grit his teeth and flash stepped toward a nearby clearing, his reiatsu had pressed down on the area and scattered, giving him a very general map to work with. He blinked when he reached the clearing. He had expected to reach a far point away from everyone and commence his training. Gain control over those pesky some hollow powers, and if the opportunity presented itself, get White to tell him his real name. It was a simple plan, and he was in it for the long haul, nothing was going to drag him back until he was strong enough to see them again…

He stepped in the center of the clearing, the way the tree brustled in the early morning breeze calmed his unsettled nerves and with a quick draw he had unsheathed his blade and stabbed it into the ground, he could imagine White's face twisting into confusion at the act, his own face wisting into hefty concentration as his reiryoku bubbled within him and a he felt it grow heavy before he projected it out, a dark orange box appearing around his blade. Ichigo shuddered. It felt strange, maybe even unthinkable, to separate himself from White like that...but he had to focus and having the origin of his new powers so close by simply wasn't going to do. With a quick spin he faced away from the blade he plunged into the earth. The smirk that began to tug at the corners of his mouth gave him a strange feeling, he shook it off as he focused the negative energy into his hand. The condensing reiatsu pressing against his hand. The force crushing the grass around him. The sudden heat rising from his skin as the usually blue energy grew dim and eventually changed to black, a deep black with a red shadow. Raising the hand to his forehead he quickly swiped it across his face, the sudden presence against his skin was jarring, but not uncomfortable, the world appeared different. His eyes had changed from bright hazel to deep and bright gold resting on a sea of blackness. His fingers lingered on his chin, the mask had a smooth texture, it was hard, like bone. His thumb dragged across the bared teeth of the mask that were spread in a permanent feral grin, each tooth coming a sharp point. The whole world felt lighter, his muscles tighter, his spiritual energy fluctuating wildly, it was like a dam had burst as he was trying to hold it back. He looked around the clearing one more time. The world around him blurred as he entered flash space, when he stopped he stood at the summit of the mountain he claimed for his training. He turned to see the sun clearly, it was just over the horizon. He cracked his knuckles...before sputtering as the mask on his face cracked apart and fell to the floor. He groaned before reaching up and reapplying it, he could feel the second ticking by, the mask growing weaker by the second. This….would take some work.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Tatsuki held the small green pill between her fingers, everyone had been busy that morning. Urahara was out searching for Ichigo. Keigo was meditating, working to achieve his release state, and the kids of the store were hard at work of their next chapter. Tessai was looking after Rukia who had bumped her head running into the room to tell everyone of Ichigo's sudden disappearance. That left her in an odd spot. She could easily ask someone to help her vacate her body so she herself could assist Urahara search for Ichigo, but….

Tatsuki held her breath for a long minute before finally opening her mouth to swallow a lung full of air. She forced the pill down her throat. Instantly she felt the difference between being forced from her body using the glove of cane stamp method and simply ejecting her soul out of her body. She much preferred this method.

"Hi there, I suppose I'm you now. For the time being anyway."

Tatsuki jumped at the sound of her own voice. She hadn't been sure what to expect, but she supposed an artificial soul meant to keep her body moving and active while she was outside of it would probably require speech.

"Oh...umm hi. Y-yeah, while i'm gone doing stuff I need you to look after...me...feel free to wander...just, be careful okay?"

'Tatsuki' nodded her head and grabbed her purse before heading for the exit, Tatsuki stared after herself. It felt somehow wrong to want compliment your own ass. She covered her face, already feeling the burn of a blush coming on. It was frustrating sometimes, being herself. Rukia walked into the room at that moment, a determined look written across her face as she approached Tatsuki.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked, fixing the straps of her backpack.

"Rukia? Are you sure you're well enough to move already?"

Her smirk spoke volumes of full of it she currently was, "You may have the majority of my shinigami powers, but I'm still a lot tougher than any regular human….so, are you ready?"

"Yeah, lets go." Tatsuki replied, knowing that Rukia was ready to help Urahara look for Ichigo.

The two girls left quickly, lingering would have been wasteful since Ichigo already had a substantial lead on them. As the door out of the shop clicked closed a small flash shined in the corner of the room before a tall blond walked forward and sighed. It had been a tiring night, and the early start was less than appreciated. Add to that the disappointment that his pupil had done so poor a job of covering his tracks that he had to do it for him, and he was beyond ready for bed. He however simply rubbed his face into a smile as he looked into the golden eyes of his longtime _friend_. Yoruichi.

"So," she began coyly with crossed arms and an unassuming look on her face, "had a nice morning jog?" the sudden glint and harsh tone almost made the ex-captain flinch.

"Hmm? I suppose so, I just wish I had better company for it." He hummed in rely, false cheer dripped over the words.

"Cut the crap Kisuke. Five days ago Ichigo was crying into my arms and refused to let me go, now he's well enough to run off unsupervised? What's you plan here?" She snarled to the man who sighed.

"Can't get anything past you can I? I left few tags in the area to alert me in case of anything...I think some time away from it all will do him some good."

"Is that really for you to decide?"

Kisuke crossed his arms, he had never considered himself father material, he'd hardly even consider himself a good teacher. But since Ichigo and his father had their falling out five years ago he'd somehow ended up filling that role. Strangely enough he didn't mind. Ichigo, Keigo, he cared about them. He wasn't sure how it happened, but unlike his 'Kugo' situation, e was't going to let anything happen to them. He'd prepare them for the world ahead...no matter what.

"If not me...then who?"

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

The theatre was empty, save for two souls that adorned the center stage. One was a boy of fifteen years with crisp brown hair and dark skin, his eyes were closed with a look of pure calm on his face. Draped across his shoulders was the other. A woman, taller than most, with long snow white hair and jade colored eyes. Her tanned peach skin seemed to emanate a glow of a heavenly sort. Her plump lips seemed glostened and alluring, intoxicating, to even the most prude like individuals. Her body pressed against his back, her arms enveloping him, her hands resting near the center of his torso. The violet colored silk of her kimono draped over his sides. Her cheek nuzzled his own as her head was raised for her mouth to reach his ear, the cool air rushed past it as she took in a breath.

"Good morning, Keigo-kun." She purred, her warm breath against his ear sending a blissful chill through him, "I'm glad you could stop by to visit me. I've been dreadfully lonely you know."

The brunette shinigami could 'hear' the pout forming, her hold over him growing stronger, her hug bringing him deeper. He'd been in this position before, numerous times even. But it felt...different, this time. As though something had changed.

Her teeth nibbled on the lobe of his ear, one of her hands remained over his heart while the other slowly descended to rest upon his thigh. Somewhere deep within his conscious he cursed the baggy nature of his shinigami robes, though he was much too out of it to say anything in that moment. He felt something bubble up his throat and as his lips parted he realized it was a moan. A warm sensation filled his face, and he could tell he was absolutely red in that moment. Her soft chuckling confirmed this, the stool he had been sitting upon vanished, and he was pushed onto his back. Someone was straddling him, hundreds of snow white strings came in from the darkness and ensnared him. He couldn't find it in himself to care. Her hands pressed against his chest as her head dipped down, his eyes were closed but he could still 'see' all this happening, like he was just some spectator, watching a show…

Her lips pressed against his forehead, her hair flowing in a strong breeze that filled the hall they squatted within. The hundreds of strings binding him seemed to grow tighter, and from the darkness came another force, one that commanded him to act. His hands came up and locked around her wrist, she gasped in surprise, though she was simply acting through the motions, not truly surprised in the least. He pushed up getting her off of him, before coming over her like a wild beast would its prey. His eyes still closed with a calm look on his face. His hands moved with each stroke of the strings. First he pushed the strands from her faces, using one arm to keep hers bound above her head, the other went to her kimono. His fingers tracing the line of the rightmost fold, the soft silk warm to the touch and tatilyzingly thin. No longer content with carefully tracing the fabric his hand clenched around the fabric and pulled it away, the thin sapphire colored sash at her waist tearing and coming loose from the force, as the strings commanded him to disrobe her the blue sash floated through the air, freely, without a care, before falling upon the shoulder of a silent observer. His eyes were wide open, with clear distaste in them. His body was shrouded by the garbs of a kuroko kabuki, the only part of his visible, were his trembling, disgust ridden, brown eyes.

Back atop the stage, the disrobing had been partially completed, the fair skinned spirit had been exposed, if only her torso, and had turned her head away in shame as her body was fondled. Her clenched eyes quivered and finally she called out.

"Help! Help! Won't some chivalrous soul come and help!" She screamed, nearly sounding genuine in her pleas for rescue.

Suddenly, a hand draped in black cloth tightened around the wrist of the brunette shinigami with closed eyes. The head didn't turn, the body didn't jostle, there wasn't even any kind of sign to indicate awareness of the action. This did not deter the black clad spectator as he tugged, tugged as hard as he could and pulled the shinigami from the woman, as he did the brunette began to break away and disappear in a sea of paper cranes. He turned back, kneeling, and pulled the partially disrobed woman to him, covering her bare chest with his own as he tightened his arms around her in a deep hug. He could feel warm tears drip onto his shoulder.

"My hero...how can I ever repay your kindness?"

The boy in black found the request already waiting at the tip of his tongue. He desired a kiss. But something overwrote that desire, a burning pang somewhere within him calling him back. It was loud, deafening even. He pulled her harder against him and whispered into her ear.

"All I wish to know...is your name…"

He could 'hear' the smile growing on her face as suddenly the angelic voice sounded a hundred times louder than ever before.

"I am but a humble performer seeking the beauty in the art, my name is...Kugutsu…."

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **A/N:** _A shorter chapter than what I usually write for 'Bleach Thy Soul' but I'm still getting used to these new work hours. If you weren't aware I recently started a new job and the steady schedule is taking some getting used to. I can't stay up till four in the morning writing anymore XD  
_

 _Next chapter should be back to the usual length if not a little longer, we'll be focusing on a pretty significant fight in the story for a few characters, also if you didn't get the hint, we won't be seeing much of Ichigo for a while._

 _Hopefully see you all soon, till then..._

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	15. Taken

**A/N: No reviews to reply to...carry on.**

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **Nine Days Prior To Ichigo's Training Leave**

The small group chattered back and forth, all but the orange haired boy who had set his jaw in a permanent scowl. His friends needlessly fretting over his sour mood, their topic of talk switching between the newest hot show, something about ghost ironically enough, the day had been quite enough, the news and events from the previous days seemed to be coming to head. Hazel eyes belonging to the young shinigami shifted between the faces present, noticing the inclusion of Tatsuki today for some odd reason, he felt the sudden shift of spiritual pressure. The reiatsu that was warped to the point of instant recognition that belonged to the munchkin shinigami that had fallen into their lives was quickly coming his way….their. It was quickly coming their way.

The door to the roof swung open, and a surprised looking Rukia stood behind it, her arm extended, hair blowing in the wind, and her violet eyes locked in a pure nervous stare. It almost made the carrot top in the group crack a grin. However the jovial moment was doomed to end, as a fretful Orihime peeked around the corner and stared right at the boy with orange hair.

The many group of kids on the roof sudden shuddered, Keigo nearly fell over as Ichigo's body slumped against his shoulder. The brunette looked up to see an even more annoyed looking Ichigo in his shihakusho.

"I'll return before lunch is over."

Was all the ginger haired boy offered before leaving the group, Keigo returned his gaze to the group, Tatsuki had noticed and had her face frozen with noodles hanging out her mouth. Rukia seemed upset, and everyone else was just staring curiously at why Ichigo had suddenly fallen asleep.

Rukia plopped down beside Ichigo, Orihime by her side, the group slowly began to disregard the sleeping boy and returned to their normal conversation. It was a constant exchange of plans for the upcoming weekend, the silly events being held in their town, and whatever rumors had crossed their paths that day. Rukia had grown increasingly used to ignoring the feeling of dread and boredom from these interactions, it was common amongst these few and she'd much prefer to fit in rather than stick out. Her own violet eyes pricked for a second, a touch of dust finding home amongst the sclera of her eye, her hand rubbed away the debris as she snuck a look at the peaceful gaze of her, begrudging, friend Ichigo. Her stare trailed his figure until it found the slender fingers and manicured nails belonging to the lovestruck girl, Orihime, gingerly touching his thumb. The lovestruck girls smile restrained, but bright, and her face glowing with a slight blush the faint touch of pink on her cheeks obvious to her, and surprisingly few else.

It had been her promise to introduce her to the scowling boy, but he had clearly had no such desire to get to know her. She had expected him to be more than willing to meet and become friends with someone like Orihime….rather, she expected him to at least try and play friends with an acquaintance of Tatsuki. But the fifteen year old Death God had decided he'd rather play chicken instead. It was almost enough to make her go and track the silly boy down. Almost. She'd laugh at the idea before, going off to track down some boy for whatever reason, what would Renji or Soul King forbid Byakuya say if they found her doing something like this.

Rukia blinked as a car honked, the sudden scare keeping her from walking into traffic, but it was more the sudden tug back onto the sidewalk. Her head glanced over her shoulder to see an orange head of hair and a pair of soothingly warm and rough brown eyes. His orange brows knit together in a furious glare. His lips slightly spread apart to reveal his clenched teeth. He shoved her slightly before wrapping a hand around her waist and using his flash step to take them somewhere.

For Rukia the flash step was like second nature, she had put countless hours into practicing the technique, but spending months in an artificial human body had dulled her senses. Her ability to see within the flash space was all but gone, and her senses were thrown so far from the standard equilibrium that when her feet met solid ground she nearly face faulted.

"I knew you were dumb, but dumb enough to walk into traffic!?" Ichigo growled, his eyes flashing a clear concern. She paused, her lips quivering as her eyes blinked rapidly. The glint she had caught in his eyes, the way he looked down upon her, it reminded her so very much of her nii-san. It was almost scary how similar they had been in that instance.

Rukia would have normally called him out on that 'dumb' comment, but the words seemed to hitch in her throat. The words that were a reflex, a common impulse. Failed to even reach her lips. Instead she spoke the one thing she should have kept to herself….

"Nii-san…?"

The hurt look in Ichigo's gaze was...telling. The pained look twisting on his face felt like a punch to her stomach. She had caused this. Her little, insignificant, and beyond stupid, slip of the tongue had for some reason caused someone she'd spent months getting to know to flinch, recoil, and withdraw away from whatever else he had to say. It was near agony to notice that distant look overtake his gaze, the emptiness within his usually warm, if albeit rough, eyes was cold and unfamiliar. She would have apologized, stopped the very hands of time if it meant she could take that stupid mistake back.

Ichigo steeled himself. The growing ache in his chest slowly began to even out, if only barely. His hand came out and in a quick motion, holding back as much as he could care to, he flicked the dark haired girls forehead. The sudden pain, more shock, brought her back to the real world from wherever she had gone within her own mind. The sun peeked from behind a cloud and cast its light upon the trees above them, it's green canopy casting long and dark shadows on them. Rukia felt her chest constrict a hundred times worse when the ginger haired boy's head appeared to become black, the look face staring down at her was...more familiar than she ever wanted to see again.

"I'm not _your_ nii-san." Ichigo said, coldly, before vanishing into another flash step.

Her knees wobbled. It had come out of nowhere. The sudden glance, the reminder of the life before this, the people she had before this...the look from a face she had not seen in a long time, a too long time. Her back met a tree, she had backed into it slowly, and she slowly slid to the ground. His knees finding purchase against her chest, her breathing hard and uneven. Her grips tightening around her ankles. Her nails digging into the skin of her calf fiercely.

Her moment of panic was cut hopelessly down by the sudden rush of energy. It had come from nowhere, with no warning. It felt like the very arms of the Soul King had stabbed through the flesh of reality and pulled it open. The cool wave that washed over her helped to steady her rapidly beating heart. She knew all too clearly what it was that was coming. She had been expecting it. No. More than expecting it, she knew it was an unavoidable act, Soul Society was coming for her. She had no escape. She was caught. Mostly powerless. Stuck within and artificial body...and surrounded by people who wouldn't just let those sent here take her….

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **Present Time**

The bony surface tensed and after a second more cracked and burst into the air. The mask that had adorned his face now laid at his feet in many tiny broken pieces. His still half golden eyes glanced around, the mountainside forest that had become his stomping grounds had become nothing more than a decimated battle scarred plot of land. It was less than a dozen acres easily, but seeing the decimation made him flinch. He expected to leave nothing in the wake of his training. He expected the world to burn away at the mere touch of his flaring reiryoku, but here it was, only mildly damaged.

He spat, a mixture of blood, mucus, and saliva splashed against a felled tree. His muscles burned and cried as he rolled his shoulders. The sun had fallen on his fifth day away from the rest of the little group...but he knew they had not remained stagnant in his absence. Even from so far away he felt it. The sudden rise in Keigo's own reiatsu, the way the pressure doubled on itself, it was either a secret lesson from Yoruichi, or the lucky bastard had achieved shikai. He didn't give a rat's burning ass if it made him petty. Every time he'd looked at his own blade, White, he'd feel like he was being restrained, held back from it all. Aggravation traced his facial features he came to the orange cube, the barrier he had erected five days, and four nights ago was still up, still holding within it the blade set in the earth. The grass below it had grown, wild and partially brown, weeds had sprouted and he could feel the air within was still crisp, unmoving, and unchanging. It was odd. He placed his hand on the cube, the connection was always there, never severed, never cut, never even hampered, but the spirit within the blade seemingly refused to speak to him now.

His ear twitched, it was a tiny presence. Smaller than anything worth noticing. But too distorted to not notice. But that same line of thought had permitted this tiny ball of insignificance to wander up to him. He turned, hand reaching for the blade that was not there, and fumbled as his fingers were wedged into the sheath of his mighty blade. His now purely hazel eyes stared at the intruder. Rukia. Her small frame dressed adequately in a pale blue dress, darker blue tights beneath it, and backpack straps rested against her shoulder.

"Well, you found me….I'm actually impressed." Ichigo said, it was true too. Not even Urahara had found him with all his little toys and tricks, and yet this weakened shinigami could. It either spoke volumes of the incompetence of Urahara and himself, or the skill of the girl who's tracked him down.

"It was hardly difficult. The constant flaring of you power, the only reason you've not yet been dragged back by your master was because of his insistence that you knew full well what you were doing." Rukia said, her town drenched in a false bravado.

Ichigo scowled, Urahara always played at that. He was the all knowing humble shop owner. He knew all because he planned for it. But it was a load of crap. He could never prepare for everything, no matter how many sleepless nights he would labour through. His preferred teacher, Yoruichi, for all her skills in stealth and awareness in battle, still could not prepare for everything. Wisely, she did not. But that man cared so little for the unknown he'd made it his duty to prevent such a word from being able to describe anything he did.

"Right. Which brings up my next question; if he doesn't care to force me home, why are _you_ out here?"

Rukia shuffled from one foot to the other. She hadn't wanted to be here. She would have prefered to remain at Urahara's shop, hidden away in her closet, reading her Chappy the Rabbit manga, but her time was up. Everything was coming to a head, and she had hoped to put as much space between her and the rest of them all as possible, but of course she had come to spikes of reiatsu expecting a Soul Society agent, instead she found the dunderheaded death god with a pension for violence, Kurosaki Ichigo. She avoided his gaze, it was easier to looks him straight on at first, it hadn't mattered, she was too distracted by it all to really recall the last few days...but it was all coming back to her now. The talk they had. Her slip up. His apology. Their hands….touching.

"I was out for a walk…?" Rukia offered, it was about the dumbest thing she could have said, but if she was right he'd take it for what it was, and excuse, and let her be.

The boy scoffed, "Right, and I'm out here to summon aliens from mars to crown me king. Really now, why are you out here?"

Rukia felt her teeth sink into her bottom lip. He looked beyond tired. The black kosode was missing from his attire, his white shitagi was torn and smeared with blotches of deep and darkened red in other parts. His hakama was torn in multiple places, and his waraji and feet coverings were missing. She didn't want to add to his long list of worries, she didn't even want to be around him, kind of, or anyone for that matter. She wanted to spare them what was coming. What was surely on the way.

"I don't recall you becoming my keeper, why should I tell you anything!?" Rukia huffed, Ichigo had never been the tolerating sort, unless it came to his sisters if he and accounts of him were to be believed, hopefully acting stuck up like this would put him at odds enough to drop it.

Rukia blinked as she felt something flick her forehead, Ichigo frowned down at her.

"What aren't you telling me shorty, I thought I told you I hate being kept in the dark?"

Rukia swallowed, it felt like a lead ball was slowly descending into her stomach, he wasn't wrong...he had very clearly talked to her about his distaste about not knowing things, about being lied to, about being 'protected'. Her fingers twitched, she curled her hands into fist, it was strange, dredging up these memories, these feelings, in such a different situation. Her eyes widened as she found her hand squeezing Ichigo's. It shouldn't be this easy, it should never have happened...she was being horrible, using him...like she was. Pretending, tricking herself. If she ever met someone like herself she'd have slapped them. She wanted to cry as he pulled her into a hug. One hand still in her own tight grip, the other around the small of her back.

"Why are you shaking?" He asked, calmer, steadier, it was a hundred, no, a thousand times more than what she deserved.

She took in a deep breath of air, "Nine days...before you left, when I said _it_...I felt a senkaimon open…I needed to runaway, so that none of you would get dragged into my screw up."

She felt him shake a little, soon his chuckle echoed into the battled marred woodland. His hand came up and ruffled her hair, it all messily fell into her eyes as he stepped back, away from her, laughing like a loon.

"And then what? You expect all of us to just say goodbye? To pretend like we never knew you? Fuck that, I'd carve a bloody path through Soul Society to get you back...for Tatsuki and Keigo of course, they'd be a mess without you around to draw shitty rabbit pictures for them."

'Of course' Rukia repeated the words to herself. She had wanted to fade to black in that moment. To have never even existed, she had done so much more than she intended to do...she let herself be pulled in. All the months that led up to it, getting to know Tatsuki, Keigo, Yoruichi, Orihime, Mizuiro, Ochi-sensei, all of them...had burrowed into her and found a place within her soul...she thought it would have been easy to push those simple things, feeling, away and move on. Not realizing her plan would single her out and place all the blame upon her.

"Hey, stop spacing out on me! I don't give a damn what you think Soul Society has up its sleeve, i'll send all those bastards to hell."

Rukia looked determinedly into his hazel eyes, and felt her resolve melt into nothing. The cool touches of the frost she'd been using to reinforce herself, to keep calm and remain steady handed, it was all gone, she couldn't bare the look in his eyes. The look of silent betrayal. If it was all to go away, if everything else was to vanish, how could she go on knowing she'd have lost him...twice…

Ichigo stiffened and pushed her aside as a massive lump of fur slammed into him. Ichigo crashed through a tree, his eyes instantly finding the brown clump of fur with the massive mask on it. His target was clear, but his objective kept jumping between Rukia, and his own blade. It would be all too easy to let him go for her while he retrieved his blade...but hell would sooner freeze over than he allow some hollow trash to lay a finger on one of his friends.

"My, my, imagine my luck…" the hollow rasped, "While tracking my new prey, I come across the one who got away!"

Ichigo and Rukia both felt confusion. 'Got away' what had it meant by got away? The hollow let the lure on his head swing back and forth for a moment, his golden eyes seemed to enlarge as he just now understood something...grander.

"Well, that explains it then...you've gone and died and become a shinigami since we last met, how nice of you to become more appetizing for me. The hollow stiffened and Ichigo pointed two fingers at him and the whole world seemed to still as the cackle of lighting rasped over the extended digits. The pale flash of blue was instantaneous, but the boys aim was off as the hollows shoulder become frozen fire. A bloody hole rested atop the now useless limb.

"'Got away'? You say, well sorry to break it to you...but I won't be extending that mercy to you." Ichigo calmly said bringing his opposite hand up to his face, inkly black reiryoku burning to life in his palm and raging wildly as he dragged it across his face.

Grand Fisher froze. The white mask that adorned his face, the golden eyes that rested on seas of still black. It was the common identifier amongst hollows...so why did some no rank, orange haired boy in shinigami attire have one!?

Ichigo tilted his head to the side, he could see Rukia paleing at the sight of it. The mark of a hollow resting upon him, he had told her about his dabbling in it days ago now...but the difference between 'hearing' and 'seeing' was the equivalent of worlds. Ichigo drew his gaze back toward the now cowering beast, his reiatsu pressing down almost wholly upon it, as he raised his hand and let the wild ball of crimson chaos come to life in his palm. It pulsed once, twice, thrice, like a heartbeat as it grew. Before he released it and let its burning energy wash over the disgusting hollow. The trees around them seemed to wither from the energy, the ground became blackened with scorch marks, and the hollow who had dared to claim them prey was now a signed ball of fur with a slowly cracking mask. Ichigo let the bakudo spell around his blade fade, his fingers twisting around the handle as a distant nostalgia came to him. Ichigo walked over to the agonizing hollow and barely raised his blade...before freezing, the lure on its head shifted and now showed a crying woman, crouched, holding and covering her arms that were marked with innumerable burns. Her orange hair parted and Ichigo saw a face he thought he'd never see again. His mother. Her eyes looked pleadingly into his own before filling with something that broke whatever spell was quickly coming over him, her warm eyes turned cold and filled with icy hate. As her lips parted to say something Ichigo brought his blade down, cutting the overgrown fur ball in two, along with the false presentation of his mother. As the hollow began to turn to ash, to release all the trapped souls, it spoke, its final words.

"Y-you'd...cut down...your own...mother….?" it asked, clearly struggling to put out the words.

Ichigo started, disdain clear within his golden irises. "That projection you put out...was not, and would never be, anything like my mother." As Ichigo spoke, the hollow finished passing.

He turned, his fingers finding the seam between the mask and his skin before pulling it off and resting it on the top of his head. His blade now resting calmly in his sheath. He smiled at the still shocked girl.

"T-th-that….was Grand Fisher...he's, he's killed countless shinigami before…."

Ichigo couldn't recall a name like Grand Fisher ever coming up. He shrugged it off as he approached the violet eyes girl he'd thrown away from danger before hearing the words he'd cursed a thousand times before.

" **Bakudo #30: Shtotsu Sansen!** "

His feet felt the pressure first, and soon after his back arched and began to ache as he was pressed against the dirt face first. He pushed both hands against the dirt, forcing himself to look up, and pause seeing the head of spiky dark brown hair, and the violet eyed girl limply in the arms of some no name shinigami.

Ichigo felt something, something different from the despair that had filled him when he had found out about his making Yuzu's condition worse, it was rage. Pure, undeniable, rage. And that rage, seemed only to burn and fester in anguish as he saw that bastard shinigami...run off with Rukia!

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **A/N:** _Yes, that's right! Rukia's been taken hostage by some Shinigami, and Ichigo just defeated Grand Fisher._

 _This was a hard chapter to write. Initially. I spent the first few days on page one with nothing to show for it, I tried focusing on Tatsuki, but then this came to me, and it was so much easier to write. I finished it between on evening and one morning's worth of writing. Averaging about four maybe three hours of writing. Anyway, here it us, hope its good, and next time I'll try and get through the rest of those pesky 'Agent of the Shinigami' arc episodes from the original series with my own twist on them. It's been a slight pain really._

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	16. Oshiro Sora vs Kurosaki Ichigo!

**A/N: No reviews, :( , carry on.**

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Artificial reiatsu pulsed from the core of her body. The small green pill currently sitting within her rumbled as it flooded the physical bodies system with energy. A burning blue aura that radiated from her like steam began to waft from her skin. 'Tatsuki' quickly rolled under a parked pick-up truck and lifted it with one hand before throwing it with all her might, the hollow that had been pursuing her met the vehicle face first, mask first, the sudden crash and fiery exploding made her eyes water. Her arm dangled by her side, the muscles had become worn and loose, some healing would likely fix that problem but without it she was useless to help against the swarm of hollows that Ishida boy had called forth for his and Tatsuki's little contest. The dark cloud still hanging high above her stirred as the hollow sucked in all the toxic fumes, it's mask had a deep crack running through it. Its golden orbs seemed to shake with new found fury, ints centipede like body shook before it shot straight forward with a gaping maw. Her remaining arm flooded with spiritual power as she drew it back, she hadn't had enough time to reinforce the bones meaning she'd be dealing with an arm full of gravel if she did in fact connect the hit. The hollow roared as it entered her range, the electrical signal sparked, ready to move, when the wall beside her exploded and a black arm came out smashing the skull of the hollow inward, its body pulsed before it began to break down in blackened dust and be consumed by the black arm.

Sado stepped over the rubble from the whole in the street divider. The red lines on his right arm pulsed and emanated a deep glowing scarlet light. The thin red rectangle on the palm split revealing jagged teeth that peeled apart and sucked in the blackened spirit particles. Small fins grew from the wrist of his black arm. His eyes left the now vacant spot where the hollow had once been to rest on the surprised form of Tatsuki staring at him. The day before the contest Tatsuki had confronted him, in a way, and they had talked. Light had been shed on certain things, and a blonde man with a green striped hat explained to him his peculiar new powers.

"Are you Tatsuki?"

The mod soul blinked at the question. She was unaware of what up until now had been a regular human was doing killing hollows and questioning her on whether or not she was the genuine article. The logic here was that someone had simply failed to fill her in fully on whether or not this was common place in Tatsuki's little friend group. Her time spent inhabiting the body and watching the medium sized group revealed Sado to be a generally kind person, so what was the harm in filling him in as to her being an artificially made sentience that could create reiatsu like a living being?

"I prefer to go by Suki, it makes everything much less confusing," Suki chuckled, her arms shaking limply by her side.

The larger of the two clenched his arm and looked around, it was clearer now than it had been just twenty minutes ago, but the skies were still full of flying hollows, and the street corners were being occupied by many of lesser ones hoping to snag a spiritually aware human. He took Suki's limp hand and pulled her behind him, he couldn't feel where anyone was, but if his hunch was correct then they would have their hands full, so heading toward the school or other populated and defenseless areas was his best bet for being able to help contain this dumpster fire of a challenge.

The girl in his grip suddenly stopped. Sado cast a glance over his shoulder, finding her face frozen in mild terror, her face seemed to pale as her lips parted to speak but words seemed to fail her as she released a struggling gasp.

"Suki, is something wrong?" Sado asked, turning to fully face her.

The mod soul within Tatsuki's body, Suki, shivered as she let her head slowly turn to the direction of the school. Her stomach churned at the thought of approaching the place, like a lead weight had suddenly been dropped into it, unconsciously she stepped closer to Sado, hiding behind him as she felt the lost lives scream out in anguish in their final seconds. Her functioning hand tightly gripped the fabric of his t-shirt, wadding the material in her hand.

"Suki, I can't sense whatever it is that's bothering you. I need you to tell me." Sado pushed, the girl clinging to him stiffened and released a choked breath before muttering the word.

"...At the school…"

He hadn't needed to think twice, he removed the scared girl from his person before pulling her in a bridal carry and bolting toward the school ground. His hair shifting in the currents of wind that swept by him as he ran, Suki trembled in his arms, her superior senses still clearly hearing the horror filled cries of the dying populace. Her thoughts were jumbled, a mess of indiscernible chatter, but one such thought shined through, perfectly clear in the sea of chaos that was her mind. 'Why would they bother with the school?'

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Orihime tightened the grip on her biceps. Her self hug failing to even begin to warm her chilled body, her form shook uncontrollably from within the cramped locker, Mizuiro and Chizuru quietly shook right along side her. They had been powerless. The sudden earthquake, the windows shattering, Ochi-Sensei suddenly crying out in pain and being ejected from the room as if pulled by some other wordly force. The panicked screams were almost too much for her, the stampede outside their classroom spoke clearly that it wasn't an isolated incident. Many of the kids still rushed into the crowded hall to run for their lives, at the time she had felt compelled to look outside and found that many of the kids that had made it to the lower floors were nothing more than bloody smears. She tried calling out the warning, but no one heeded her advice. Instead of trying harder to save the lives of those around her, she fled and hid, and now found herself crammed within a supply locker in a classroom. Her knees brought up to her chest, pushing against her breast, in front of her Mizuiro still trying, and failing, to call for emergency services, and to her side the unthinkable, a silent Chizuru.

She wanted to speak up, honestly she did, but what would she say, how could anything lighten this mood? Her frown deeped until she felt a cool finger poke her in the cheek. Her eyes traveled to her side to find a sullen Chizuru staring down at her feet. The red haired, glasses wearing girl licked her lips as she slowly prepped herself to speak.

"O-Orihime…."

"Yes...Chizuru-chan?"

Chizuru looked up, her eyes watering, tears traveling down her face, and a hopeless air around her, "I-I don't wanna die...without ever getting my first kiss…."

Orihime looked at the girl, the second part of that statement, while honest, felt tacked on, like it was an afterthought, like something meant to lighten the mood. Orihime was suddenly pulled from her thoughts from the sudden contact. A hand pressed against her cheek, four slim and tender fingers resting on the nape of her neck, a thumb laying atop her cheekbone, the sudden pull to her side, the soft pressure on her lips, the warmth that was suddenly shared between them. Her eyes widened, and widened further when she felt a tongue slide into her mouth.

As Chizuru continued to kiss Orihime the locker they occupied was rattled, stopping them, soon after the sudden jostling the doors whined from a pressure before the hinges creaked and snapped and both of the metallic plates went flying into the the board on the opposite end of the room.

Mizuiro cried out in horror as something ripped a bloody hole into his chest and pulled him from the locker, holding him in the air before smashing him into the tiled ground and through the floor into the lower level.

Chizuru squeaked, fear desiring to be the only thing in existence for her at the moment. But something else filled her person instead. A dose of adrenaline. Well needed at this point. Her hand locked around the wrist of the paralyzed Orihime and with her princess in tow she burst from the locker and ran from the room, a fire exit was nearby meaning they'd reach ground level around the back of the school and could make a break for the varying sports clubs equipment shack.

The two girl ran through the bloodied halls, passed the emergency exit and onto the fire escape landing, the stairs leading down were strewn with entrails, bile, and other bits of gore that Chizuru happily ignored and she tugged Orihime behind her, carefully speeding down the steps. Their feet making splashing sounds and the uncommon squelch as they did. The trip down was a heart pounding one-minute twenty-seven seconds from the third floor to the ground, but they had made it to the dirt field below, all they had to do was hide from whatever monstrous creature was after them and they'd be fine.

Chizuru tugged harder on the wrist of her princess before she felt something wrap around her ankle, very suddenly the ground was ripped from her feet as she was held in the air by some invisible force. Orihime, seemingly returning to the waking world, tightened her own grip around her friends hand and pulled. Chizuru screamed, the pressure around her ankle was excruciating, but she realized that it was only her that was being dragged, pulled, taken. Her eyes watered for a moment, she was still fairly close, Orihime was doing everything she could to keep her alive, so she thought it wouldn't be too much to ask for a goodbye present. She craned her head and stole a quick peck from the girls lips before pinching her wrist, causing her to release her grip. The red haired girl was brought higher into the air, still upside down, before three more sudden pressures appeared, one for each outstretched appendage. She closed her eyes, hoping for it to be quick. She could feel the putrid lust and malice from whatever force was doing this as sudden force began to pull at her. Her arms were pulled wide, her shoulder straining to keep from being pulled from their sockets, a losing battle, her legs spread unimaginably wide, she could never to the splits before. The pulling force grew worse, and her screams of pain louder, she could vaguely hear Orihime crying for her in the background, she could easily feel her coccyx snapping and cracking, the skin around her crotch tearing, her pelvis crunching, it all released unbearable waves of burning pain through her. Her screams only grew louder for every agonizing second that stretched into the oblivion of eternity. Until finally. It blissfully ended.

Orihime looked up through red eyes, tears pouring down her face, as her friend Chizuru was torn in half by...something!?

The air around her stilled, the reserved reiatsu within her body churned. It boiled and the reishi in the air around her bent to her will, the thick wall of spinning wind wrapped around her, her hair flailing up behind her as she felt her nails dig into her palm as she clenched her hands into fist. The small droplets of blood rising into the hair before coming together and making a seven-pointed crimson hair clip that snapped into place along a bang. The air-spout dissipated and Orihime stared defiantly at the now visible forces that had turned her pleasant school day into a trip to hell. Varying kinds of monsters littered her view, all wearing hideous white mask with golden eyes that rested on seas of black.

Her hand came up and two fingers pressed lightly against the ahir clip, four of the points glowed a deep orange color, three of the, dug deeply into the dirt before an dark orange triangular pyramid covered her form. The remaining glowing point then buzzed before shooting out from the barrier, leaving a faint glowing trail behind it, as it pierced through the skulls of the many surrounding monsters.

Orihime refused to let herself sink to the floor, or cry, until long after every monster had been dealt with, and she found the surprised forms of Tatsuki and Sado staring at her. Her lips quivered and her eyes struggled to remain open as she fell to her knees and began to sob.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Tatsuki wanted very much to shove her sword into the scrawny frame of a glasses wearing snooty boy who had more to prove than anyone rightly should. But as things stood, she was ten times more busy cutting apart the many hollows that were filling her hometown, and running amok. She paled at the idea of somebody getting hurt because of her inability to deal with criticism from someone she didn't even know.

" _There's simply no need for you, between myself and that brute Kurosaki, you and Asano-san and simply pointless dead weight."_

" _A challenge, simple and easy, whichever one of of slays the most hollows remains the defender of Karakura the other retires."_

The next time she saw that know-it-all Ishida she'd clock him, better yet she'd try out her karate routine on him. She could feel Keigo working diligently to keep his section of the city under some semblance of control, Urahara was preoccupied with the higher level hollow. She could feel them all really.

Suki, Sado, and Orihime (surprisingly?), where all fighting E, and F ranked hollows. Jinta and Ururu, herself, and Ishida Uryu, were taking the F plus, D, and D plus hollows. Yoruichi and Tessai were fighting against the C, and B ranked hollows. And lastly Urahara and Keigo were holding back the fewer but more problematic A rank hollows. Bitterly she wondered where Ichigo or Rukia were.

But those types of thoughts quickly went away in place of more precise swings to better combat the waves of hollows. The seemingly never ending waves!

She felt something press against her back, she glanced over her shoulder to find the hollows had encircled her and Uryu. She considered giving him that knuckle sandwich now, but realized she'd need the assist to deal with all these hollows, but a petty remark now would keep her sated until later.

"Oh yeah, this is a real simple challenge glasses!" Tatsuki exclaimed.

"...I may have had a minor miscalculation." Was all she was offered by the boy.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Anger. Simple. Pure and understandable anger. It was the shrinking form of the newest person he'd let get close, and there they went. Vanishing from his life, himself a mere spectator, powerless to do anything. It was bad enough to constantly close your eyes and have flashes to that hellish night when so much was taken away. It was enough to spend five torturous years to become strong, only to be told your efforts are hindering those around you, or worse still _killing_ you kid sister because you can't control that power. His chin dig into the dirt, his hand still tightly wound around his sword. His golden eyes stared after the shrinking form of his newest friend. Counting Rukia and the Urahara ship, that brought his friend count up to eight. That's was only two away from double digits! And now some prick from the society of collective death gods with meter long piles up their asses had ordained it, because someone over in that society of whackos had decided what was best for Rukia!?

His blackened reiatsu flared and the grassy earth withered from the sudden negative energy. His masked face split as he roared from the exertion, breaking any bakudo spell was a feat, breaking one from a somewhat passable caster who had that damn spell in the thirties, that would take even more exertion. The triangular restraint began to crack from his pressure against them, before they suddenly shattered. He found the ground steady beneath his feet as he stared after the fleeing shinigami...finding no trace of the missing man. His hand tightened around the handle, he could feel the reassuring push from his blade spirit, they were in this together. He reached out, the right half of his white shitagi was ripped and frayed, so instead of leaving it and letting it potentially become a hazard in battle, Ichigo tore the scrap fabric from his body. His eyes shined for a second as he reached out. And he growled, the soul ribbons where too jumbled, something must have been happening back in Karakura Town, but with Urahara and Yoruichi there; then there was next to nothing to worry about. But that still didn't help the fact that he had lost Rukia, and now that Shinigami could so easily open a Senkaimon and return to Soul Society. Ichigo let his head fall back and his eye focus on the cloudy sky above… his legs tended as he jumped high into the air and stood upon a platform of thin reishi. His golden eyes looked at the mountain side below, for a second he found himself hesitating….Rukia was down there with him, and he'd likely do some permanent scarring to the mountain. White finally chose that moment to chime in.

" _ **Don't worry about Rukia, that shinigami can perform level thirty bakudo as long as you hold back some you should be able to lure him out, as for the mountain...fuck it?**_ "

Ichigo raised his sealed blade, the crimson coloring of a cero burning the air particles before sticking to his sword, with a lazy swing downward the ground beneath him tore in two. A deep crevice now scarred the mountain side. Ichigo looked down feeling no sudden flying of unfamiliar reiatsu, so he repeated the previous act. The tree were uprooted, the dirt turned black and hardened, the grass burned away in seconds, and rocked glowed a deep orange from the heat as they flies off in all directions.

Deep in the forest below the wildly swinging Kurosaki Ichigo, was the cowering form of Oshiro Sora. The very same one who had sought Byakuya out, and volunteered to go to the human world to find his commander. He was paralyzed. He had come across the scene in its later stages, a fellow shinigami slaying a hollow, likely defending the commander who was stuck within a gigai for some reason, but somehow the hollow latched onto him and possessed the shinigami, now it was after him and the commander!?

Sora took in two deep breaths before letting out a slow and dragged out exhale. His eyes shifted to the side to find the still slumbering commander, he had knocked her out to keep her from alerting the possessed shinigami, but it hadn't worked as well as he hoped, his bakudo spell kept it restrained by only long enough for him to grind the cave he now squatted in. It was miles beneath Commander Kuchiki to be forever to hide in some cave from a hollow of all things, but he would gladly swallow his pride and hide away if it meant getting the commander safely home.

The earth beneath him shook from another crashing wave of energy. He looked out, carefully, from the mouth of the cave and saw the possessed shinigami hovering in the air raining down its crimson wave attacks. Sora pondered it's reasoning and the only logical solution he could come up with was that he had interrupted its lunch, lunch being the commanders spiritual energy and body, it was less than happy about that. Sora growled, he hated the idea of anything treating his commander in such a way, this pathetic hollow thought itself mighty enough to consume one of the greatest souls of Soul Society?! He drew his blade, rage filling him comfortably. His bared teeth ground against each other and he quickly went through the motions and sent off a hell butterfly, before preparing himself.

"Be set free from your cage, boundless in the winding savanna, flare, snarl, and roar! Ranjishigami!" Sora chanted as his blade was quickly consumed in a white light. The cave was drowned in spiritual pressure as his form shifted. His once average katana became a mighty and nearly unruly zanabato, with a grey fur hanging from the guard, a necklace hung around his neck, jagged teeth of the beast his blade was named after, his unkempt brown hair had elongated and become a deep white colors his eyes turned golden and slotted like a cats, and his shoulders broadened. His nails had become claws, and his teeth fangs. He exited the cave just as the possessed shinigami landed before him. It raised its sword, both hands tightly gripping the handle. It's form shaky, but familiar, it's set face split and the beast spoke.

"Tell me where Rukia before I cut you down!" Ichigo roared,

Sora hefted his mighty blade yo and rested it against his shoulder, "I assumed to after the commander, but if you think for a second I'll let you do to her what you did to this boy, you've got another thing coming!"

Ichigo stared the shinigami down, it was obvious, even to him, that some kind of misconception had been made, but he couldn't very well let this shinigami go, he would simply return with a dozen more squad members later. No, he's finish this here and now. No point in dragging it out. He stepped forward into a basic cut, his blade met the resistance of the shinigami's, Ichigo flexed his enhanced strength and felt both of them strain to hold ground. It was pretty clear that this shinigami was using his release, which matched up 'decently' to his masked form. If he had some time to rest and recuperate all that lost energy, this would have been nothing. But as things were...Ichigo could feel the sweat escaping his pores. Their blades separated in a shower if sparks, before clashing again, they moved slowly around each other. Swinging heavy attacks that tore small nicks into each others blades, their mights battling it out for supremacy. Ichigo already knew this guy was nothing compared to Urahara or Yoruichi, but even still...it was nice go against someone he hadn't fought countless times before.

Their swipes narrowly missed one another, but Ichigo quickly recovered and drew his blade back, leaving a long, deep, cut along the shinigamis thigh. Soda scoffed as he jumped back and stabbed his blade into the ground before joining his hands in a strange prayer. His hair rustled before seeming to spiken and shift, it stretched farther from his head that it appeared logical to, and the spiky mass crashed into the ground where he had previously stood. Ichigo landed behind the shinigami and thrusted forward, the blade went straight through the black kosode, but the man it was supposed to stab through was nowhere to be seen, his blade also seaming to move with him. Ichigo scanned the surrounding environment, and quickly jumped into a roll as the massive zanbato carved deeply into the earth he had stood upon. As far as physical strength went, they were pretty much matched at this point, but Ichigo didn't have time to waste fighting him in some drawn out slug fest, he could feel things escalating back home, plus Rukia likely had some brain damage or some sort, meaning he needed to quickly resolve this _and_ whatever was happening at home so that he could have Urahara look over his friend.

His jaw shook as his distorted voice began the chant.

"Scattered beast bones!"

Sora widened his eyes as he rose his blade and rushed forward, his downward strike cut through the air but missed the possessed boy.

"Spire, Crimson Crystal, Steel Wheels!"

Sora glanced bhind him, while the boy was keeping his distance while chanting, Sora could already feel the petrifying energy behind the words at a level that would be fatal to just about anyone aside from seated officers. He raised his blade again, and swung, the wind screeched as it flew through the air and cut the tree behind the boy in two, but left the chanter unharmed.

"The wind if it moves, the sky if it stops, the tone of the spear striking fills the lone castle!"

Sora very nearly couldn't believe his ears, even he couldn't use hado above the low forties range but this shinigami, this hollow...could cast one from the sixties?!

" **Hado # 63: Raikoho!** " Ichigo shouted as the bright golden energy flew from his extended finger tips in a wide cone, carving apart the forest ground, before hitting the stunned shinigami in the gullet and piercing straight through to the other side. Sora felt the effects of Ranjishigami fade, along with his lifeforce. His upper body fell to the floor with a squishy thud, his lower half completely gone. Blood ran from the torn lower half of his body, his innards running out and laying in a messy, gory pile on the floor, his pained screaming lasted a full minute until he began to choke on his own blood. As his consciousness kept evading him, he stared up at the cold eyes of the hollow. His killer. A smile touched his lips however still.

"What's so funny...Shinigami?" Ichigo asked.

"My...name is...Oshiro...So...Ra…...and…." Sora wheezed, blood pouring from his mouth, like cascading rivers down past his lips,"So...ul...So...ciety...will...still come...and...exterminate you….Commander...Kuchiki….will be... _ **avenged…**_!" Sora gurgled his final words as his blade cracked and chipped before shattering. His head fell to one side, the life finally leaving his body. Ichigo turned, Rukia was still passed out within the cave, he was beyond tired now, but as things stood, he could probably still carry her to civilization and help fix whatever those numbskulls had broken.

He suddenly paused as his mask shattered and he collapsed. All the adrenaline fading from his shaking body and sleep quickly enveloped him.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Running through the halls of the sixth division was the very same third seat, Tsubaki Rin, the usually calm and collected seated officer had a look of terror on her face, a black and red butterfly resting in her cupped hands. Her feet pattered, her breaths ragged as she quickly ran through the partly crowded halls. The division was built in the image of a large estate, its massive size added much to the width of the halls, but the sudden extra work load from Captain Kuchiki had kept the foot traffic heavy throughout all hours of the day. Rin huffed on final breath as she summoned all her strength, and burst through the door to her captains office.

Sitting there in a seiza was her lieutenant, her commanding officer, Abarai Renji, they way he stared over his shoulder in shock, and the genuine surprise splashed across her captains face. Her usual composure forgone in favor of of quickly give the message to her captain, if the contents of the message were to be trusted, than they really couldn't waste a single moment. So she closed the door and rushed forward, extending both hands to her captain, the butterfly.

His dark eyes took in the object in her grasp, before sighing as he reached out and crushed it in his grasp. Small wisp of fiery blue wind encircled him, Renji, and Rin, and the voice of Oshiro Sora filled their ears.

" _ **This is an emergency call. I've managed to retrieve Kuchiki Rukia, confirming that she is alive, but a rogue shinigami that has been**_ **possessed** _ **by a hollow is after us! I'll do my best to hold it off, but please get here before it can get to Commander Kuchiki!**_ "

Short, to the point. His sister was alive, a vile vermin such as some hollow with the ability to possess shinigami is after her, no doubt seeking to over take her gentle form and reap the rewards of her new found power. But if he moved quickly enough….even if she had been taken over, Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri could likely devise a solution. His mind set the stones along his desired path as he stood, the crushed butterfly reforming in the hand of Rin.

"Renji prepare to the depart to the Living World. Tsubaki, inform Captain Sosuke of the loss of one of his own, write an apology from me for enlisting his help."

Renji reacted first, standing and rushing to their secretary to get a senkaimon passed and ready for them to use, along with the right restriction stamps as to not damage any of the weaker souls in that world. Rin had to blink a few times before wiping away the sting in her eyes and getting to work on her part of the assignment.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **A/N:** _Not much to say...I find this story so, so, much easier to write than the rest of my other projects. It's just so much fun! On that note, I don't really have much to say here, except just thanks for being around and reading, it means the world to me. Hopefully you enjoyed what was shown here, and with any luck, you'll continue to like what happens next time._ _Till then..._

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	17. Take Her Away

**A/N: Review Replies**

 **(Notes + apology/excuses/updates at the bottom)**

 **Scarease:** _Not quite the tsunami your probably expecting, or even the chapter I wanted to write. But after over a month of starting and scrapping chapters, I sat down at four in the morning, wrote this, and decided it would do. I hope the following ones are better. In fact, a particular chapter in the near future is going to be a very intense moment for everyone. Look forward to it!_

 **Midnightscar17:** _Sorry about taking so long to update. It was pretty frustrating trying to write the chapter I originally wanted, so in the end I decided you guys had waited long enough, wrote this one, and I hope it is decent enough to hold you over till the next chapter. Which will NOT take nearly three months to write...  
_

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

A rapidly tapping foot was the only thing that dared to give away the carefully put together and maintained facade of the horribly worried and angry elder brother and captain of the sixth division of the Gotei Thirteen, Byakuya Kuchiki. His arms lazily left to dangle by his sides, his expressionless face slowly edging closer to a sour frown, for with each ticking second that his lieutenant had not received authorization to open the senkaimon was but another eternity wasted toward his grand mission in retrieving his little sister. In saving the only other precious person his Hisana had ever truly cared for. His lips drew into a line as he turned his head, the brightly colored hair of his lieutenant seemed to glow in the dark as he came running from within the building leading toward the greater hall of the tenth division. Byakuya, if he were a lesser man, would have breath a sigh of relief, he still had yet to find out why the hard working and diligent young captain put up with his lieutenants slacking, it was a concept lost on him, if for a second he found Renji lazing about whilst being on duty...well, the results would never be pretty.

"Captain!" Renji exclaimed flashing the several forms for use of the Senkaimon, all of which had the approval stamp of one Hitsugaya Toushiro.

Renji paused and looked at his suddenly empty hand, having failed to notice that his captain had snagged the form sand began to peruse them, greedily. Renji looked in the folds and sleeves of his shihakusho and frantically searched having been puzzled. He knew he had just been holding those accursed forms, and now they were gone! The red haired lieutenant coughed as it felt like his chest was being stomped on by a menos. His trembling eyes flickered around before settling on his captain who was placing the restricting spell/seal on his chest. It took several more seconds but Renji finally felt the air enter his mouth and travel down to his lungs, the familiar burn of the spell seared his chest where he had been impacted, he could feel the folds of his spiritual energy being constricted.

"If you are quite down making a fool of yourself we have a mission to complete." Byakuya said with a restrained huff.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Tatsuki sucked in another deep breath as she planted her heel and swiveled, the awkward cut somehow managing to take out the small enclosure that had formed around her. The hollows behind that first layer moved in, taking the place of the recently slain, and their endless groaning and moans of hunger had long since been etched into her memory. With one more angry cry she cut the head of one serpent like monster that had found purchase above her clean off. Her energy roared to life, what little of it she still kept within herself and flew high into the air, not a moment too soon as a massive blue arrow just swept through the horde and decimated the lot. Their silenced cries brought a moment of bliss to Tatsukis ears, for the moment until she realized it had been the very same cause of this mess that had cleaned it up.

"Took you long enough glasses! I thought I was hollow food for sure." Her half-hearted insult didn't seem to do much as the boy adjusted his bespectacled frame. His posture shifted, as did the weight of the air, whatever words he had for her seemed to die on his tongue as a deep cracking sound filled the air.

Both heads turned quickly to catch the sight of a long black crack running across the clear blue sky, from the pitch darkness slender white fingers came wiggling out and grasped at the ends of the crack, before suddenly pulling apart.

Uryu gasped as his eyes trembled in their sockets. His bow slowly turning back into motes of light as it was sealed within his Quincy Pendant. The world seemed to quiver alongside him as he stared helplessly up at the unthinkable and natural horror that was the golden eyes of a Menos Grande.

"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, **the sea barrier surges, march on to the south!** "

Uryu turned just in time to see the massive red orb formed in both open hands of Arisawa Tatsuki. Her reiatsu roaring around her before sinking into the attack. The Kido spell, a Hado if he wasn't mistaken, seemed to grow continuously for several moments before even her robes began to shred from the power emanating from the orb, the ground beneath her warming quickly.

" **Hado # 31! Shakkaho!** "

The sudden bang, the sound barrier rupturing, made both teens wince as the attack soared through the air before smashing into the mask of the Menos that was staring down at their world from his little portal. The smoke filled the sky, and a winded Tatsuki starred up longingly. A clear aura of desperation around her whole form. It was clear as the day for all to see, she had put every single speck of power, not being used to keep her alive, into that attack. Uryu heard a grumble, his knees were weak. His head swiveled and caught the pale bone mask of the Menos poke through the smoke cloud, the center of its face was smudged, and its eyes were glowing a deeper gold color now. Without a second more to contemplate both of its lanky arms spread the gate wider still and its massive body stepped through. Slowly the ghastly thing descended upon unsuspecting town. It took several seconds, but when its feet touched solid earth...everyone felt it. The ground whine and shook violently in protest at the negative energy within the creature.

Uryu moved on instinct, the building he stood upon exploded into rubble as he flew through the air and collided with Tatsuki, the two of them rolling off the roof of her own building and into the shrubbery surrounding it.

Tatsuki wasted no time in pushing off the glasses wearing quincy and removing a paper tag that a certain shop owner had given her, her free hand came up to allow her to bite into the tender skin of her thumb, the taste of blood settled on her tongue for a moment before she dragged the bleeding digit across the page and held it to her forehead.

' _Tatsuki!? What's going on? Why is there a Menos in town!_ ' His worried tone came through perfectly through the mental channel.

"I have no idea!" Tatsuki suddenly cried out, not caring at all as to whether or not her glasses wearing dunce of a partner didn't know why she was suddenly speaking to no one. A heavy aura filled the air, Uryu gasped as the glass of his spectacles cracked, his head swiveled suddenly and caught a glimpse of a red blur...and the large gash that formed along the body of the massive hollow.

Tatsuki spat, her body shaking under the pressure, the alien pressure a hundred times worse than anything she could even conjure up at the moment, her heart pounded in her chest as she lost the connection to a certain, immensely strong, shop owner. Her brown eyes scanned the horizon, and saw nothing as a whistling sound cut through the air and repeatedly cut into the hollows flesh.

High above them the mask of the massive monster seemed to crack open and its screech like laugh made the air shake, a noxious purple gas erupted from it like steam from a geyser. Tatsuki found her eyes moving on their own as they trailed after a quick moving black dot with a red speck and a large silver blade. Her ears compressed as the amplifying effect of naming or calling out the name of an attack reached over her and Uryu.

" **Wakatsu ZABIMARU!** "

The sudden vibration that seemed to permeate through all the air washed over them as a long silver streak cut the very sky and severed the hollow in two.

Uryu managed to find the ground beneath his feet as he stared agape at the display of power. What he and a powerful shinigami like Tatsuki had so absolutely and surely failed at...some unbeknownst power so soundly accomplished.

"Heh, what a joke." Both of the fearful teens tensed at the sudden alien voice, slowly like rusted gears they turned to stare at a red haired shinigami as he slowly sheathed his blade, "You there, girl, what's you rank and division?"

Tatsuki felt her throat tighten, a safety measure to keep from saying something unbelievably dumb. But just as she prepared to thank the red haired man, all her senses wiped as sleep overtook her.

Uryu turned around in shock at how suddenly the new pressure had arrived, a man dressed like any other shinigami, but with a snow white haori.

"Report Renji, any sign of Rukia or Oshira Sora-san?" He calmly spoke, skipping over the fact that was appeared to be mortal was so clearly sitting right before him.

"N-No Captain Kuchiki, no sign of em' yet." was the red haired man's hasty reply.

As the supposed captain moved to turn, Uryu unfortunately found his voice. His hand reached out and his grip tightened around the fabric of the mans haori. His eyes shaking as he felt the words bubbling up, ready to pour free.

"What do you want with Rukia!?" Instantly regret filled him as a slim hand wrapped tightly around his throat. His glasses fell from his face as he gagged and kicked, desperately struggling for air. The quincy boys eyes looked all around, helplessly searching for something, and freezing perfectly in the center of the pair belonging to the man strangling him.

"That name...tell me how you know it." It wasn't a question, and even if Uryu had intended to answer, the crushing pressure around his throat basically ensured his secrecy. His ears almost missed the sound of wooden joints rapidly clicking together, and suddenly his being tossed away as a green and blue blur cut between him and the captain.

"What the hell!?" Renji cried out looking around before finding the silver haired...woman…?

Uryu turned around and saw that at his back was a very lifelike marionette with peach colored "skin", long silver hair, and emerald green eyes, a few meters behind her stood Keigo, silver threads wrapped around each of his ten outstretched fingers. It took only a moment for Keigo to stare down at the quincy with a dead serious glare.

"Get out of here now!"

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Yoruichi stopped, her tail wiggling in the air as she suddenly felt his appearance. She and Kisuke were already on there way, but seeing as Keigo was there...they had a few more minutes to plan something now. With an inner smirk she turned to stare at the distraught shop owner, his grey eyes stared into her own in a pleading manner, something she hadn't seen in quite some time, even longer considering how genuine it looked this time.

Memories of their youth came to haunt her, a thought of something that had so long since been left behind. It was practically chilling recalling the horrified eyes of a boy who had died and become a man so sure and sound and immovable that seeing it made everything else feel world crushing. How could he, out of everyone in reality, not foresee something, he planned for everything, nothing ever escaped his calculating eyes. Her mind continued to wander from its place in the present, having a much better time simply frawlicking in the depth of her memories, the spring of her young childhood. That bliss melted away as she felt his spiritual pressure tear apart reality to boost his speed. She blinked, barely, and when she stared back into his eyes...

She instantly felt her rage surface as he slapped the paper tag on her body, it's burning glow whisking her away as he continued on to intercept her old pupil.

Infuriating. It was a simple thing, and a very just thing to be feeling after being tricked like she had. The light quickly faded and she found herself deep in a forest, or rather the remnants of a forest. Sitting against the large trunk of a tree was the half naked body of her more recent pupil, Kurosaki Ichigo. If different in so many fine details. His body was scarred, heavily, the deep wounds still letting loose small rivers of blood. Her eyes widened as his shoulders shook, a gasp escaping his lips, and a fresh cut appearing from his shoulder down the length of his torso. His reiatsu coming to life for an instance, its mixed coloration between blue and black all to telling of what was happening.

Yoruichi ran forward, smoke erupting from her as she changed forms and returned to her human form. Her hands rested on his bleeding shoulders and she felt the heat from his skin cling to her. He was barely there. Whatever was going on wasn't going in his favor.

"Ichigo! Wake up, we need your help!" She tried calling to him, his eyelids fluttered, in one eyes was a golden iris resting on a sea of black, the other was a small dot of brown with inky black tendrils creeping upon it.

His pale hand came up and caressed her cheek. His lips quivered into a smile as a familiar white and pasty goo jutted from his cuts, sealing them again. Shakily he used her help to find his footing.

"Ru...kia...wh-where's...Rukia?" The words came from him softly, his voice reverberating as if someone was speaking in unison with him.

Yoruichi took a look around the scarred mountain side, then she cast a longer more in depth look with her spiritual senses, and came up short. She wasn't here, or anywhere near here. Had she left to go and get help for Ichigo? But if so, why didn't she just used her paper talismans to contact Kisuke?

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Keigo jumped backwards, his fingers moving erratically, the body of his trusted Kugutsu moved in a flourish of animated movements and in seconds the red haired shinigami, Renji, was gasping from the pained stinging. His eitre upper half was covered in scratches. Patches of his upper body now exposed. He'd need a nice target, he could only use Kugutsu poisoning nails once a day, he hoped the paralytic effect would be enough to keep the red haired man occupied so he could deal with the other one who had decided to sit on standby for the moment. Seemingly just observing the scene.

Initially he had intended to just grab Tatsuki and run...but something inside of him just couldn't leave the poor kid to die like that.

"Heh, not bad kid, what's your name huh?" Renji asked, raising Zabimaru.

With bent knees Keigo moved his hands and quickly as he could, he had already been using Kugutsu since earlier this afternoon, he wouldn't be able to keep her out too much longer, he was already on his second damn wind!

Renji smirked as he batted away the rapid assaults, quick strikes, precise, and merciless. But not very powerful. They barely cut the skin, in fact the only substantial damage he was taking was to his wardrobe. Funnily enough, he realized he captain was being very patient with him. Even now, in the heat of combat he could feel the presence making its way toward them. His smile must've been showing as he could tell the brown haired Shinigami wasn't happy at all.

The two entered a back and forth dance. Their bodies, well his and the kids puppet, were inches apart at any given time, his slashes had to be quick, forgiving, and leave as little room as possible for openings. It was imperative, the cuts he'd received so far may have been minor, but Renji assumed that the fancy looking tanto was for more than just show.

As if on cue Renji had to stop his forward momentum dead and back pedal, lest he be stabbed through the forehead. His body felt a chill as the puppets hand came forward and finished tearing away the last of his black kosode and white shitagi. As annoying as it was for his modesty to be exposed, he supposed it was fine as long as the cuts didn't get any worse. Though the next words he heard from the kid said it all.

"Now! Paralyze **Kugutsu!** "

As much of a skill gap as there likely was between them, forcing yourself to a point of being able to cut down a menos took a lot out of you, not to mention being restrained by the damn seal. So when the tanto was slid across his chest edge first, drawing a thin line of blood, he knew this went deeper than the simple skin deep cut. In fact, he barely had to wait, as his muscles were already seizing up on him.

Keigo stopped his assault and turned to the shinigami in the white haori.

"I've poisoned your friend, a powerful paralyzer. If you don't get him help soon he'll likely die!"

Keigo only readied himself as the captain drew his blade...which promptly scattered into cherry blossoms?

"STOP! Renji! Nii-sama!"

Everyone did in fact stop, as the center of everyone's attention appeared on center stage, right on cue.

Keigo, so surprised by the sudden appearance, forgot his place on a battlefield as his body was consumed under the crushing force of what looked like thousands of cherry blossoms.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Ichigo bent over, gagging, as the contents of his stomach where cast out for the world to see, the light reddish pink tint didn't bode well. The boy dragged the heel of his palm across his bottom lip. The gold and black from his eyes vanishing. A smug smirk appearing in its place. His arm reached out and wrapped around Yoruichi, his reiatsu becoming a spinning vortex around them and Yoruichi barely noticed as he took them both back to the city of Karakura with his flash step. To the very middle of an awkward scene.

Keigo was holding his tanto in a reverse grip, his free hand hanging limp by his side, his hair marred, and a pained smile on his face.

"Hey...Ichigo, fashionably late to the party huh?" The smile on the brunettes face faltered as his eyes slid closed and he collapsed.

Ichigo started passed the the downed ally, toward the captive one. The large senkaimon doing nothing to obscure his view of the black haired man. Ichigo released Yoruichi and drew his blade, his body vibrating as the dark flames began to crawl over his skin, the hard fragments of bone coming into place on his face as he blasted himself forward.

Only for his piercing lunge to be caught, effortlessly, by the haori sporting captain. Their eyes locked and as the ginger haired boy was so carelessly tossed away like trash, Ichigo saw as another part of his life, as another part of what he had let become normal and consistent be taken away. He could do nothing as he watched Rukia being limply taken away by the captain, alongside some red-haired shinigami.

In his endeavor to get stronger…...he'd failed.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **A/N:** _Hey everyone! Yes, I'm alive! and I bring to you the next installment of Bleach Thy Soul, a chapter that was so very difficult to write that even now I look at it and despise what i've created, hopefully you like it more than me. Anyway, the next story to get an update will be The Dark Spider, rejoice!_

 _Also, sorry about being gone for so long. I'll endeavor to not take as long to update again._

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	18. What Now?

**A/N: REVIEW REPLIES**

 **midnightscar17:** _Sorry man, but I promise that the wait for it will be worth it! I hope... Anyway! It probably won't take till Soul Society, in fact you'l probably see it in two, maybe three chapter. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!_

 **Scarease:** _Exactly! I have a feeling that sentiment will continue actually. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!_

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **Several Hours Prior to be Taken Away….**

Had she ever opened her eyes so fast before? Not that she could recall, not even the hellish crying of the Menos Grande hat would occasionally plague her and her expedition force were enough to rise her this quickly from slumber. But this. This most definitely was something worth waking up over. Her sweaty palms, dry throat, and pounding head told her as much. Slowly she found the earth beneath her feet and looked around. She had somehow wound up in a cave? She wasn't much for panic, not lately, everything had been feeling so pleasant as of lately that she couldn't help but be calm even in the most of extreme situation. Her thoughts jumbled as they might have been beneath her layer of collected calm, still couldn't answer her primary question.

How had she ended up in a cave? And.

What was that sudden spike that had awakened her from her sleep?

The walls of the natural cave were rigid, hard to the touch with just the slightest bit of dirt to add accent to its blackish brown. The roots of whatever plants were above her head had poked through the ceiling and dangled casually above her.

Her attention on the small piece of nature shattered as she felt a chilling _familiar_ pressure was over her. She nearly fell on her rear at the realization, it was shaking to feel it so close after so long. Her mind was so distraught that she even failed to notice the other 'familiar' presence outside. Either of them.

Hastily she scrambled, nearly face faulting, out of the cave and back out into the open expanse of the ruined forest. Deep grooves cut into the mountains flesh, trees uprooted, land scorched, and all around her feet...a pool of blood. Before her very eyes sat crouched an innocent looking brown haired man, his hands before him like one would do whilst trying to warm them against a campfire, only instead of growing warmer his hands emanated a healing blue light.

Rukia felt her gaze drawn to her right, she instantly regretted it. A face that was more common than she cared to admit laid there. His lower half missing, his expression pained. It uneased her how this had come to become the norm.

"Ah, Kuchiki-san, I see you've not come under any harm…"

Rukia turned back to the man in the white haori, his pleasant smile and easy eyes cut through her walls and before she could do anything she was staring into her own eyes, her reflection in his sword.

"You should quickly run back to town, your brother has arrived and you're the only one who can get through to him. I'll stay here to help Ichigo recover."

Rukia nodded as a she turned and broke into a sprint. She couldn't et anyone get hurt because of her. She ran with pure determination, her goal perfectly set to the center stage of her mind. Nothing could deviate her mind, she wouldn't have to worry regardless, she'd left Ichigo in the capable hands of _Urahara_.

Back at the entrance of the cave, the brown haired man crouched before the trembling body of the teenager. His blade perfectly catching the early to mid-afternoon sun. In fact it caught the light so well that the reflection seemed to pierce right through the still sleeping boys eyelids. So, all too happy to wake up the lad, he stepped forward and used his foot to jostle the boys head. After one or two shakes a shaking hand wrapped around his foot. His angry growl clear as day. The head of ginger colored hair ruffled as the eyes peeled open and golden hazel orbs stared deep into his own.

He could hardly keep the smirk off his face, he never imagined Urahara would let an asset like this wander so far from his little nest. The chick had wandered away from its mother hen, and so the humble fox would take its gracious pickings and be off. He could hardly believe it when some run of the mill shinigami with what could be only a decade if not less of training so easily took out one of his squads more combat oriented members. It was honestly too good a trade to be true!

He squatted down and caressed the cheek of the boy he would soon make his. Yes this boy would be his and no one else's.

The eyes of the haori sporting man widened, his gaze had wandered away from his new property but it was forced to return as his newest toy had done something...ridiculous. His thumb….was being bitten by the sorry welp.

His smirk widened as he withdrew his hand and stood back to his full height, before casually delivering several powerful kicks to the boys face. Grunts of pain and discomfort came soothingly from the injured boy, and before long the haori sporting man and kicked him onto his back and was wiping his bloodied sandal on the teens face.

The same blade that had been used to 'trick' Rukia began to thrum as its ability charged. The world seemed to grow empty for the two, there places remaining the same as the landscape changed. The world altering so immensely. The details so crazily different and yet seemingly so natural and familiar to Ichigo.

"Silly Ichigo-kun, you shouldn't work yourself too hard, why don't you just go to sleep...and I'll take you to Unohana…"

The haori sporting man reached out and Ichigo felt every muscle churn with energy he wasn't aware he still had, his fingers hastily twitching to take the expecting hand. Until he felt a secure energy boil from his stomach. His tired frown quirked upward into a defiant smirk as Ichigo smacked his hand away.

The haori wearing man, so caught off guard by this, failed to realize the presence coming up behind him, until he was staring at the blade poking through his chest, his wide eyes stared past the blade toward the quickly changing, dissolving body, of the boy he had so nearly ensnared. A sharp chin dug into his shoulder, a distorted and cold voice echoed in the air.

" **Don't think I'll let you have my partner so easily!** "

The man severed his connection instantly and found himself staring into golden eyes, a playfully defiant smirk on the face of what should have been his newest toy.

The brown haired man wasted no time delivering slash after slash to the body of the boy that should of have been his new puppet. He had been unfairly bested by an unforeseen circumstance. A minor setback at the most, he'd simply try again at a more opportune time. Until then, he'd make his little toy regret even considering 'fighting' back.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Rukia ran through the battle scarred streets of Karakura. She sprinted with all her might, her legs felt like jelly, her heartbeat was like artillery fire, her vision narrowed and swimming, but each step made things clearer. Even now, someone was trying to keep her brother at bay. A futile effort if ever there was one. It was like an ant trying to measure up to a dinosaur.

She rounded a corner, sped by the convenience store, hopped over the guardrail of the park and sprinted, faster and harder than she had the whole way here. She didn't need to feel it, she could see the massive pink wave that could only mean the activation of her brothers shikai...at the very least, she only hoped no one had made him use bankai.

She finally reached the battlefield and the sigh made the words come up without a second's hesitation.

"STOP! Renji! Nii-sama!"

Everyone paused to stare at the sudden appearance of the girl. The one that had, for some reason, become the object of everyone's damned desires lately. Keigo grit his teeth as he realized just how pointless she'd made his struggle so far.

"Rukia! Run I'll hold these guys off!"

Rukia gasped and moved to say something but become paralyzed as she saw the massive wave of pink behind her 'new' friend. Her stomach churned in ways she couldn't understand, she had seen comrades be cut down or consumed before, but it never shook her quite like this, beyond that, she hadn't felt this shaken from witnessing battle since she had seen Kaien…Her mouth tore open and she screamed as loudly as she could.

"KEIGO!"

The young, brown haired shinigami felt his shoulders tense as a sudden shadow was cast over him, he had forgotten where exactly he was, on the midst of a battlefield, with a stronger enemy still fresh and full of surprises not far away at all. His lips drew to a fine line as he turned to the shadow and weaved his fingers furiously. Each silver thread overlapping another, it would put his shikai out of commision for a day and then some, but better that than being consumed in the attack heading his way.

The sun was completely hidden behind what looked like a serpent of cherry blossoms. Keigo swallowed the growing lump in hi throat as he finished weaving together his technique and called out its name, he'd need it to be as strong as possible.

"Ito no Tate!"

The massive blanket of thread that rested over his head in a display no larger than your average umbrella barely kept the crushing force off of himself or Kugutsu. It didn't even keep him standing, the sudden weight overbearing, like trying to hold up a mountain. It took no time at all for Keigo to find himself on one knee, barely holding the crushing wave at bay, screaming in agony as his muscles screamed from the pressure, as his bones shook from within him, as his blood sunk to his feet. This pressure. Unimaginable that any one soul could have it. Could so easily wield it!

The wave finished washing over him as he dropped his arms, luck had been on his side, his 'Ito no Tate' had withstood the attack, but if it had gone on for much longer it would have cut through...Keigo stared into the green eyes of Kugutsu as she began to rattle and glow, before she changed back into her sealed state.

Keigo heaved, his lungs resisting his urge to take in air, he found no relief after being freed from that onslaught, the phantom pain still heavily bearing on his shoulders. He refused it. He wouldn't just sit back and die! Not after everything!

He found himself standing wobbly, his body swaying as he rose his trembling arm, blade bared, with a fierce hate in his eyes. He could feel her behind him. Rukia had gotten so caught up in seeing him nearly die that she forgot to run away!

"Rukia no baka!" He cried out, blood flying from his lips like spittle, his body nearly collapsing from simply raising his voice, "I told you to run! I won't be able to hold him off for long!"

Keigo screamed, he cried, tears running down his face, he was staring down at his opponent, but it wasn't some simple officer from Soul Society, it wasn't just another captain in his line of sight, it was _death_ , his death. Ironically enough.

"Do...you honestly believe you can keep me from Rukia...boy?" Byakuya asked, calmly raising his blade handle like a conductor's wand, all his cherry petals coming back around him like a protective cloak.

Keigo knew, honestly knew, that he didn't stand a chance without his shikai, even with it he was fighting a forest fire with a squirt gun! But...he smiled, smiled regardless of that glaring factoid.

"No. No I'm not dumb enough or full of myself enough to believe in something like that, even remotely. But...I'll die a hundred times over before I let you touch my friend!"

Keigo gasped. It happened. In the blink of an eye. His shaky breathing felt heavy, and his shifting vision barely moved as it looked down to see the guard of his killers blade pressed against his chest, he relished his last second of relief. Before the trails of cherry blossoms tore through him.

" **GGAAAAAAHHHH!** "

He cried as what felt like hundred of swords cut at him. His eyes rolled back as his body fell backward. His lips quirked into a smile, he could still see her. Standing there, horrified about what had happened. He stared, it might have been for nothing...but...at least… in these final moments… he wasn't alone...she stayed with him…

Byakuya stepped over the bleeding body of the young shinigami and toward his sister. It took all he had to not rush over to her and envelope her in a hug. It was in times like these...that she...reminded him so much of Hisana. Now...he could save her from whatever happened, they could return to Soul Society, and he'd return to finish killing off these vermin…

Happily he sealed his blade and with a flurry of movement he summoned forth a gate back to their precious home.

" **Hado! #1: SHO!** "

His body moved, instantly and fluidly like water, his face no longer impassive as his brows furrowed and strong glare creasing and becoming set on his face. He had tried to offer this bug a quick death, but if a bug refused to die, then one had to erase it completely.

Keigo didn't know where it was coming from. He had no idea how he had found his feet back on solid ground, or how he could stand while bleeding so much. He didn't even know where he had pulled the energy for that weak Sho from.

He smirked, his body was partially numb, there was so much he couldn't feel, and so much more he wish he couldn't feel, the pain was too distracting for his taste.

A flash of reishi washed over him, it had a familiar feeling, but it was different too. But he could care less, he turned his head and found an angry looking Ichigo, with a concerned, and naked, Yoruichi behind him. He smiled, a simple train of thought coming through his mind.

"Hey...Ichigo...here for the party?"

With those simple words Keigo let his heavy eyelids close and fell to the floor, happily embracing slumber.

Rukia stared past her brother, past the orange haired boy who she had left in the charge of a trusted friend, and to the downed body of her friend. Tears prickling at the corners of her mind. How had she let this happen? How could she have been this selfish!?

"Rukia!" The call of her name ripped her from her thoughts, her brother had his hand resting on her shoulder, the paralysed body of Renji by his feet, but a determined looking strawberry was staring at her. Glaring at Byakuya. All the while with a comforting and fearful look in his eyes, "Don't worry Rukia!"

Ichigo called, his blade held firmly in two hands as he kicked off, moving faster than she had ever seen him move, his body giving off more reishi than she could hardly even believe a shinigami of half a decade could possess. The shining tip of the blade moving back as he thrusted it forward, and her heart sank. She didn't want anything to happen to her friends...but...she cared for her brother too!

Her chest tightened as her brother caught the blade in one hand and with a grunt pushed him back, the teen she had grown closest to flying back and smashing into the road with enough force to shatter the cement. His spasming body and hollow eyes staring up at her as she was forced to turn away, and go back. Tears running down her eyes.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

The Senkaimon closed, and from the rubbly rose a tired and beaten Ichigo, his face in a shocked frown. He couldn't seem to grasp it. The simple fact that it hadn't amounted to anything failing to register in his brain.

"W-what was it for then...what the hell was all that training for then!" HE screamed at the air, his gaze fixed where his friend had once stood with her kidnappers, his throat tightening as felt a dreadful feeling embracing him all over again.

"What was it for dammit! What did I train so hard for! **What DAMMIT!** "

His head head sagged as he barely managed to keep a hold on the handle of his sword. He couldn't do anything! His eyes tightly closed as he ground his teeth together.

"Ichigo!"

"Kurosaki-kun!"

"Ichi-kun!"

Three voices erupted, and slowly Ichigo looked up and saw Sado, Suki, and Inoue-san, running toward him. The first to reach him was Suki who wrapped her arms around him. He wasn't sure when it happened, but the mod-soul they had gotten for Tatsuki had developed something of a crush on him and Keigo. Sado wasn't far behind but he paused upon seeing Keigo.

"Inoue-san! Keigo needs healing!"

"Eh? R-Right!" She replied before kneeling before his friend and erecting an orange triangle around him.

Obviously he had missed something...many somethings.

It was instinctive, he turned his head and saw the form of his teacher back in her black cat form, which he hadn't known she could do, staring at him.

"Well Ichigo...it looks like we failed to keep rukia away from her kidnappers….What now?"

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **A/N:** _Welcome guys, heck of a chapter huh? Much better than seventeen, man that one was really dull. I hope this will tie you over till nineteen. For all those waiting to see a certain shinigamis shikai, the wait is almost over, just be patient with me!  
_

 _I was originally going to keep this one going, actully show what they were gonna do afterwards, but suddenly changed my mind. I'm a sucker for natural end-points like these. Havings all this happen and then getting a title name drop, too perfect to ignore, ne?_

 _Anyway, sorry about cutting it there, but again, I hope this will keep you satiated until I return with the heart gripping chapter nineteen where a we give a proper goodbye to some character, and we plan for the future!_

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	19. After the Fact

_**Chapter 19: After The Fact**_

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **Review Replies: (Mildly Important A/N at the bottom, please read!)**

 **midnightscar17:** _There you go! Wish granted. Hope you enjoy a particular seen later in this chapter, and don't hate me after. Anyway, Zangetsu was pulling a tailed beast moment and keeping Ichigo from being mind controlled! Thanks for reviewing._

 **1740:** _Thanks for reviewing. Yeah I hope to put more out sooner._

 ** **[Bleach Thy Soul]****

Long curly locks of bright orange hair ruffled in the soft wind that rolled over the blooming meadow. Pale peach colored eyelids twitched before slowly splitting, allowing for a pair of soft hazel eyes to stare skyward. The expansive realm of the sky above with its soft blue and rollings mounds of fluffy white painted a serene picture, but the calm look of someone rising from sleep vanished from her face instantly, her memories coming crashing down back into place. Her body flinging itself upward as her throat expanded from the coming words, her hands rising to clutch her head. Her pink lips parting as she screamed as loudly as she could.

"ICHIGO!"

Her hair had been flung forward and over her head, obscuring her face, her hands moved from her temples to cover her eyes. Hot tears bubbling passed her tightly closed lids as she sucked in harsh and uneven gulps of air. Her heaving chest barely able to rise as she choked upon each breath. Her body rocking harshly as she continued to faintly mumble the word. Backwards and forward she moved, never from that spot, completely oblivious to the realm around her.

A small hand landed on her shoulder. Her cries halted for a second, with shaky movements she raised her head up, hair still obscuring her face but not her vision. Her gaze landed on a small boy wearing a vaguely familiar shihakusho, a head of spiky white hair that looked soft and fluffy, and a set of hard bright blue eyes with bags beneath them. At the edge of his forehead a tick mark had formed.

"Please. Stop. Your. Unending. Racket!" He hissed through clenched teeth, in a way trying to sound reassuring or possibly comforting.

Her lips quivered as she looked at the faint roundness of his head, the soft lines of a child's face, her arms moved on her own, and before she knew it she had wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, burying his head in her chest as she cried into his shoulder. She didn't notice or acknowledge that one of his own hands had flown to the handle of his sword and remained there. Her teary eyes pressed into the shoulder of the boy as she whimpered. She tightened her hold, she felt her hands ball up the fabric of his haori.

"Please…." She wasn't sure why she was bringing it up, "Tell me…." but she just wanted to hear some reassurance, "that he's okay!"

Toshiro flinched, he had rarely come across fresh souls, it wasn't his duty after all, he wasn't even supposed to be patrolling today, so why had this fallen onto his shoulders? Since when was it his responsibility to ease the suffering of others?

He breathed a deep sigh knowing that headaches like these had been part of the contract the minute he had accepted to attend the Shinigami Academy. So that brought him to a rather annoying point. With no knowledge of what this stray soul was referring to, what was he to do? Answer logically and assume that whomever she was referring to had likely met a similar fate or lie and spare her the immediate anguish?

"...He's….Okay…."

Her crying stopped. Her grip loosened as she raised her head and brushed the orange hair out of her face. Toshiro felt a soft warmth creep across his cheeks, her hazel orbs bore into his, her own eyes still red from crying, but her face held a reassuring smile that made all his worries melt away.

"Thank you…" She said, before pressing her forehead against his shoulder again and falling asleep.

Toshiro was paralyzed there for another moment before he realized that this was the equivalent to picking up a stray, so he reacted in much the same way he would to his own lieutenant doing something equally infuriating. By yelling as loud as he could.

"Hey! Don't just go to sleep!"

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Tatsuki peeled her eyes open at the steady sounds of machines beeping. The roof above her head was a mysterious one of sterile white and as far as how she got here was a blank spot in her memory.

"About time you woke up." A familiar voice sounded from her left and her head fell to that side with little effort on her end.

"Glasses?" She asked the dark haired bespectacled boy to her side.

"What an infuriating nickname you lot have chosen for me...I would insist you change it, post haste."

Tatsuki grumbled as she asked, "Where am I? What happened?"

It was now Uryu's turn to grumble, "It seems Soul Society revealed their trump card. On of their thirteen if Urahara Kisuke's information is to be trusted."

Tatsuki have the Quincy boy a sideways look of confusion.

"I'm trying to say that we were trounced by someone if superior skill."

Tatsuki grumbled at the thought of being so easily beaten. She had better hurry up and get to Urahara shop, no telling how Keigo or Ichigo we're taking this. Her body froze as she moved to pull off the blanket, it was like a stomach cramp but a hundred times worse.

"I probably should have lead with the fact that you haven't been cleared for release yet.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

It was a terrible day. He hadn't put much thought into anything he had been doing lately, he wasn't even aware enough to keep from dressing up in his uniform and walking on auto pilot to the front gates of his school. The large iron doors brought together and closed tightly. Candles, pictures, offerings, and other assorted charms and the like laid scattered with a hazardous neatness that couldn't help but catch the eye of the observer. His hazel orbs wandered over the many framed pictures of the many now deceased students and he barely stopped when he came across two particular framed faces.

Kojima Mizuiro, his smiling mug and combed hair glistening in the artificial light of whatever studio took the picture. He was wearing a formal western style suit, the navy blue tie around his neck loosened slightly. Beside that picture was…

Honshō Chizuru. Her wide smile that split her face, her cheerful eyes, and the slight krinkle of her nose as she gave a perfectly natural smile. The picture was taking in the natural light of a cloudless spring day with the background absolutely cluttered with sakura petals.

His head tilted to one side as he took in the still images. When he had calmed down after being so easily tossed aside by that captain, the first thing he had done was call the hospital holding his sisters. Karin answered and told him they were fine and that he should come visit already. It had torn away at his innards to have to lie to her, to pretend that anything in this life would keep him so busy that he couldn't visit his sick sister in the hospital. Afterward he had been made to sit down with Urahara and company. He had been caught up on the situation, any holes in the story were quickly filled by Yoruichi and Urahara. The sight of the glasses wearing boy bowing so deeply to apologize to them all was entertaining for a moment...but everything had become so muted to him, almost like not having her around had taken away a little bit of the color of his dark world, and pushing him ever closer to the darkness. His gaze moved passed the gates to the damaged school building, if he squinted he could still see where the hollows had smashed through and vigorous torn apart the humans within, if the pink streaks along the walls were any indication. With a too tired sigh he turned around to walk back to Urahara shop. The blonde shop owner had told them to remain on standby, for he would have a very important update by the end of the following day. His legs however stopped as his narrowed eyes landed upon the brunette boy who had helped him bear the weight of this abnormal world of theirs. The other boys eyes were narrowed too, but unlike Ichigo who squinted to peer through the tiredness that had so heavily embraced him, his companion was boring at him with true disdain.

"Did you even care?" Keigo asked. His t-shirt soaked through with rain, Ichigo stared up at the clouds above, only now noticing that it had been raining and he had been carelessly walking through it. If he was still human he would have to worry about catching a cold.

For the first time since he had been pushed back into the dirt by what might've well have been a god, he felt a strange pull at the corner of his mouth. The question echoed through his skull a few more times before he looked back into Keigos eyes.

"About what?" He slowly responded, not cautiously, for he was much too tired to bother, just spoken slowly, drawled with clear disinterest.

Keigo clicked his teeth and took a more aggressive stance as he barked the next sentence, "What do you mean about what?! I'm talking about our friends!"

"Friends? Sorry but that sounds too normal...for people like us."

"People like...us? What the hell are you Talking about Ichigo! We're high schoolers! But since you found out what happened you've barely cared! It's like these deaths don't mean anything at all to you!"

Ichigo tilted his head. His soul pulsed briefly at being spoken to that way. Who was _he_ to talk to him in such a way. He had half a mind to drop his gigai and run him through the chest. To shut up this annoying tie to a world that had taken from him. Yes, he had links to both worlds, but he was so very much chained to this world of abnormality that he had been dragged into. A world so extremely unordinary that it left him baffled more often than not. And sometimes you couldn't scowl a problem away.

"Your right...Keigo...because...I don't care, not one bit." The orange haired teen replied with an uneasy smile.

It happened before either realized it. The distance between them had shrunken and Keigo had thrown a hand he hadn't meant to throw, the fact that Ichigo effortlessly caught it didn't ease the boys guilt at all. Keigo knee he could fight, and knew he would defend his beliefs. But he had never resorted to throwing first over an argument. He had never raised a fist against his best friend outside of spars before…

His thoughts were expelled from his body as a fist sunk deep into his stomach. His wavering vision looked around and found it had been Ichigo to deliver the nearly crippling punch. With the same uneasy smile on his face as he pushed the brunette away. Their eyes met for a second longer before Ichigo stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked away. His tired scowl replacing the creepy smile he had been sporting.

Keigo grunted and after taking another moment to start breathing normally again he moved to stand and was surprised when an umbrella shielded him from the pouring rain. A dark tanned hand was wrapped around the handle of the umbrella and a stone set face was looking down at him, though even if it weren't out of pity Keigo doubted that Yasutora Sado could very easily look 'up' at someone. The brown haired Shinigami clicked his teeth as he rose to his feet. The soreness in his stomach subsiding for the moment. Neither spoke a word as Sado motioned for Keigo to follow him back to Urahara's shop.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

His hands wrapped around the warm cup, he hadn't been too big on coffee before this, not that he could recall anyway, but Rukia had loved the stuff. She would go on, and on, and in, and on about Captain Ukitake's special black tea. The way she would trudge into the office early every morning and would already have a cup waiting for her. How it was never too sweet or too bitter or even too hot. How the sickly man never failed to care for other a hundred and ten percent more than what was expected or even really needed.

Ichigo felt the warmth grow and his eyes looked down at what should have been still liquid, only to find he had squished the cup in his hand and made a mess of it all. The deep brown of his caffeinated beverage steamed slightly as it spread across the counter. His smirk never left as he placed the cup down and used his clean hand to reach into his blazer pocket and pull out a few hundred yen coins. Seven of them to be exact.

He loved them on the far end of the counter, and left, ignoring the calls of 'hey! Your change!'

He stepped back out and as the jingle of the door sounded the sky clapped with thunder. A long arcing pale blue, white, and deep purple streaked across the sky. Ichigo followed the descending point as it struck somewhere far in the distance, but as his raised eyes descended with it he came face to face with a certain bubbly girl.

Inoue Orihime. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and she was wearing a stylized seven pointed blue hair clip on her left temple. Her pink yoga pants that tightened and cut off just above the ankles were partially soaked, her matching pink sneakers looked like she had pulled them from the washer, and her yellow muscle shirt was the only thing that she had, aside from the clear umbrella above her head, that had remained dry.

"Kurosaki-kun...would, it be...alright if we talked?"

Ichigo felt his brow crawl upward on his forehead. Had she always been this downcast? Did her mood correspond to the weather? No. He recalled. She had seen two friends die, she had been forced to end life, corrupted monster life, but end life all the same. She was upset, depressed by it. Ichigo realized quickly, that she was being normal, he was the odd one here, her emotions were progressing through the normal range, she was the average one while he was the odd one.

He must have scowled fiercely in her direction because she turned her face away. His years of training alongside Yoruichi had made him very observant, so he caught sight of the trail of pink on her cheeks. Though he was still a dense teenager with no idea of normalcy. So the action wa slots on him.

"C-could you not look at me like that…?" Orihime slowly asked, her voice having a slight rasp to it.

Ichigo dares to look back over his shoulder, the barista inside the shop wouldn't chase him outside, but if he went back in she'd give him a piece of her mind, without a doubt. So he waved for her to give him her full attention. As her grey eyes found him, he proceeded to pint down the street.

"I'm not one of those emo-types that likes talking in the rain. There's an internet-cafe down that way." Ichigo said, already moving to lead the way.

He couldn't see it, but Orihime's face was almost scarlet. It was also the fact that she was blushing so badly that prevented her from stepping up to his side to offer half her umbrella to him. She nearly squealed, because her long time crush had basically just invited her to an Internet cafe! This was basically a date!

All of the many things that people did on dates quickly flew threw her mind like a conveyor belt on overdrive. Her thoughts however hit a screeching stop as she reached the idea of kissing. Her lips drew inward as she recalled the situation that led to her first kiss. That led to someone confessing to her. Her eyes stung with slight tears as she recalled that day.

"Hey, you comin' or what?" Ichigo called back, slowly turning, only stopping when he realized she was crying.

Her head peaked up, her face still red, but for a different reason. Tears streaming down each cheek. Her quivering lips refusing to steady and she prepared to speak. Ichigo still wasn't in much of a mood to talk in the pouring rain...but he decided he'd hear her out, if just this once.

"When it happened...I don't know why, but...I kept thinking, that you would show up. That you would just appear out of thin air and save me…"

Ichigo didn't miss that. The she said save _her_ , not everyone, _her_. He didn't miss the look of self hatred and pity that clouded her features or the the fact that she couldn't even hold up her own umbrella. The fact that she was just letting the rain pelt her shuddering body. When she ran forward he considered stepping out of the way, but found himself rooted in place. The way she cried, the way her arms reached around his torso, the warmth that came off her as she hugged him so tightly, the way she would cry into his shirt. It reminded his so very much of Rukia. Of his failure to save her.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

His head bent down, she was clutching him, exposing herself to him. And he was just standing there like a brainless scarecrow. He wasn't doing anything, he wasn't being comforting. He wasn't even trying to move them out of the rain. His thoughts were a million, no, a billion miles away from where he was. And besides...since when was it his job to protect random background extras?

He felt himself grow cold, ever so slightly colder than he already was.

The girl crying into his chest, repeating his name, over and over and over again like it meant something. When had he agreed to be her defender, to be the one that stood between their normalcy and his supernatural? Who had come to him and asked if he wanted to venture out into a hellish world of killing, killing, killing, killing!

Nobody! He wasn't asked his opinion! He was dragged into this! He never had a choice….

His hands tightened at his side. That was right, he had never gotten a choice. He had been forced into this world, where the only saving grace it had was his sword spirit. His number one friend. Someone who he could really trust. Without any warning his thoughts pulled forth images he would rather never see again.

Images of him and Keigo as tiny twelve year olds training under their sadist teachers Yoruichi and Urahara. Slides of him meditating for hours on end with the sole thought of becoming a hundred thousand times stronger than his rival. With the idea that he could become the protector of Yuzu and Karin's normal lives. If he could just be stronger. Then they could have what he couldn't.

" _Hurry up stupid! We're gonna be late!" Rukia called at him from her place at the Urahara shop door, her hand fiddling to make her foot fit into the uniform shoe._

 _The heel of his palm rubbing against his eye, he had stayed up till an hour before sunrise hollow hunting, so why the hell did he have to go to school today?_

 _A tiny hand wrapped around his wrist and before he knew it he was being led out of the shop, their pace a steady walk, faster than his usual trudge, but not enough for him to mind. The warm palm and interlocking fingers didn't have anything to do with his decision, nope! Not at all!_

A fire began to roar within his chest. It's pulsing flame sin time with his heart beat.

Ichigo smiled at that thought. Yeah. He hated pretty much everything about his situation. About what he had been forced into...but if it wasn't for all of that….then he would have never met Rukia.

His smile faltered as he realized just what he had spent the day doing. How he had just spent it feeling sorry for himself. He had spent it wasting time thinking about his problems...instead of getting back the person who made it bearable, instead of helping the people around him who made it bearable!

His hands grabbed Orihime's biceps and he gently, mostly, made a gap between himself and her. She had a very surprised look on her face, she hadn't missed the fact that he hadn't hugged her back.

"Orihime!" He called, shocking her from her crying stint, "I wasn't there to help...but...will you help me save Rukia?!"

The orange haired boy missed the pang I'd hurt that flashed through her eyes and he couldn't have hoped to hear the crack that split her heart in two. She forced her lips into a smile. She forced herself to be strong. She was sad, so very sad, but she had to be strong. For Chizuru, for Rukia, for Ichigo...and for herself.

"Yeah! I'll help however I can!"

She squealed when he took her hand and pulled her through the rain, his hand so warm around hers as he pulled her towards Urahara shop.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Keigo nursed the cup of tea in his hand. His shirt laying tossed aside somewhere in the room, the bandages snuggly wrapped around his stomach where the bruise had formed. Tessai had been feeling a little left out since Orihime had been so handy when it came to healing. So when it came to being treated when went above and beyond to complete the operation of applying some cooling balm and then ecstatically wrapping his entire lower torso with pristine bandages. Sado had said little to nothing since they had arrived. Simply checking his watch every few minutes. As Keigo opened his mouth to something he heard a loud, but mildly muffled click from beneath him. Suddenly the floor opened up and he yelped as he body fell downward at an increasingly rapid rate. His screech echoing through the sheet and it continued like this for a whole minute until his back collided with what felt like a cane and his soul was ejected from his body.

Now, with tanto at his hip, and sand in his mouth he was in the training dessert/field under Urahara's shop.

Just above Keigo at the moment, Ichigo burst in through the front door soaking wet, with a heavily breathing Inoue Orihime behind him who was thoroughly soaked through. With a wide grin he stared in at the room to the knowing glint in the eyes of his favorite teacher. Yoruichi. She pointed a thumb over her shoulder and Ichigo readily dropped his gigai at the feet of Orihime and raced passed the woman and by a slightly smirking Sado and down the ladder to the training field where a confused looking Keigo was standing. Just behind him was Urahara who was fanning himself.

"Ah! Ichigo-chan! I see that you've decided to come by for a spar, ne?"

The feral grin on the boys face said it all, Keigo could tell that everything he had said earlier...he had meant it...but he was ready to move on? He was ready to act...

"Hey, Hat-and-clogs! You better be ready, cause I'm storming Soul Society with or without you!"

The brunette shinigami gaped. Where had this come from!? He didn't care about anyone from here, but he was ready to head to another realm to save some girl he'd only just met!? His teeth grit as he drew his sword.

"What the hell Ichigo!?"

Everyone stopped, Ichigo looked at his seething friend and saw his rage filled eyes. The actions from earlier seemingly fresh in his mind. The orange haired teen smirked. He supposed it made sense. He and Keigo had never really seen eye to eye, and after Tatsuki had shown up...well, he guess it couldn't be helped that his friend had grown blinder to his thoughts on other people.

"What wrong Keigo? You look confused?" Ichigo taunted, drawing his sword in a lax one handed hold. Soft black mist raising from his body.

"Confused?" Keigo echoed as he clicked his teeth, "No...I've just realized...how much of a bastard you are! You didn't care about any of them! They didn't mean anything to you did they!?"

Ichigo let his eyebrow raise, and he smirked as his reiatsu burned around his skull hiding his face behind the bone white mask with fancy and beastial red lines on the right side of his face accenting his permanent feral grin.

Kisuke and Keigo stared in shock, the former growing angrier as he heard the distorted words of his 'friend' come from the masked face.

"You mean Chizuru and Mizuiro right? Of course I didn't care. Why would I….none of my friends would have been so weak as to be killed by no name, brainless hollows.…"

Keigo called it forth without thinking, " **Play the part! Kugutsu!** "

His reiatsu exploded outwards as his tanto left his hands, replaced instead by ten silver threads wrapped around each finger. His manifested shikai holding the tanto in a reverse grip with a soft smirk on her wooden features.

Ichigo laughed as a crack ran down his mask, he pointed the tip of blade at the puppet, his own distorted voice coming out, " **Bleach Thy Soul! Zangetsu!** "

The vortex of black, and red reiatsu was clear for all to see, the sand around him flying away as his dark red light bathed the area his chilling laugh echoing as the reiatsu was pulled back in to reveal the orange haired teen, with a red bead like chain around his torso in a diagonal fashion, with glowing red gems every three or so beads. His eyes were a deep black with glowing yellow pupils. But all of that almost went unnoticed as all the attention was pulled toward the massive blade resting on his shoulder. A massive cleaver, with a straight spine, and a heave curving edge. Long white bandages acted as a handle with a stray piece hanging loosely at the end.

Both shinigami smirked, memories of all their previous fights coming to them...yes, they could always understand each other so much better in battle!

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **A/N _:_ Next Chapter: Friend vs Friend!**

 _So here you guys go, Ichigo's shikai release, you see it, and next time you experience it! I sure held off on it for a good amount of time no? Oh! Don't expect banaki for a_ long while _okay!_

 _Now, whose ready for a special announcement!?_

 _We're getting ready to head to soul society, and that means more fights, more characters, and more...STUFF! So I figured instead of making all those guys myself, I'll ask any of you in the audience to put forth your own guys! Yes, thats right, its an OC contest! It will run from now, until the release of the next chapter._

 _Some things to keep in mind, Ill be crediting the OC's that appear to the username of the person who entered them. If your submitting one, and please only one per person, I need shinigami of varying ages and experience. They can have any seat that isn't held by an existing cannon character, or no seat at all, at this point of the story. They can have upwards of six spells to use. Try and keep it below the sixties range of either unless your OC is specifically for Kido. if they have a release lets keep it to shikai please. If I decide to keep em' around for longer I'll PM you later for details of a bankai. If you could include a summary of that character so I can get an idea for their personalities that'd be great!_

 ** _Note, your OC could go on to join the main cast...or die as cannon fodder..._**

 _If you decide to participate, keep these in mind and thank you. If I don't get any participants, I'll just make em' all up myself :P_

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	20. Friend vs Friend!

**Review Replies**

 **A/N:** _HEY! We made to 20 chapters! Thats awesome man! Heres to twenty awesome more and then some!_

 **midnightscar17:** _Answer, In this chapter. Honestly that bit where I showed Tatsuki and Uryu was just there to let everyone know what happened to em' so as to not make it look like they vanished off stage or fell into the One Piece Dimension or something. Thanks for reviewing!  
_

 **Exodus12345:** _I'm glad that you even considered my story at all! characters can make or break a story, and while I wish you'd have read some to see if my version of Keigo was more tolerable or not, I won't question your decision on how to spend your time. But if you find any interesting Bleach fic's out there let me know right away! Thanks!  
_

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Ichigo removed the weight from his shoulder, both hands gripping onto the handle of his seemingly unruly blade. Far in front of him stood Keigo, behind what was essentially a fancy human-shield. Ichigo felt his lips quirk upwards at the sight of their gaping expressions. It hadn't been easy, it hadn't been fun, it hadn't even been useful at first, but, he had done it. He had achieved shikai. Just in time as the case seemed to be. Keigo wasn't pulling any punches or going easy on himself. Ichigo had to wonder just when the brunette shinigami had unlocked that particular power up, vaguely he recalled feeling something similar to this when he first arrived at his spot in the forest surrounding the mountain. It hadn't really been that long ago now, but it felt like a lifetime now, having experienced all of that...losing Rukia. Shaking his head he returned to psyching himself up.

All too happy at the results he entered his preferred stance with which to wield Zangetsu. The hands was close to his face, his legs spread to lower his center, and entire body basically pulsing with reiatsu. He could feel every single thread of it surrounding them. His golden eyes staring clean through his long time friend.

"What's wrong Keigo!" His layered voice called out, "Don't you like it. Me and Zangetsu finally figured this whole shikai thing out!"

The brunette's countenance soured as he took several steps back, lowering his stance in turn, his fingers softly constricting, the puppets body moving in turn to enter a very defensive stance. Happily Ichigo took the offering to initiate combat, as he most often did, the air seemed to burn up around him as he lunged forward, his skin prickled at the feeling of Keigo stepping out of the way with his puppet, the edge of Zangetsu scraped against the ornate tanto in Kugutsu's hand. Soft reddish blue sparks of reishi came off of the edge of both blades upon contact.

Her wooden arms hissed as a piston like mechanism extended her arm by a whole meter, sending him clear off course and ruining his stance. His feet seemed to move on instinct as he sent a burst of spiritual power out of them to create some space, just in time as Kugutsu's sharp nails cut through the air where his throat had been.

Ichigo let his off hand slide down the hand and wrap some of the loose cloth at the end of his blade handle around his palm, quickly the hand remaining on the blade flipped around to hold it like one would a javalein. His wicked grin flaring as he felt the reiatsu in the air burn to life around his sword, its white hot glow causing the image of him to blur to any outside observer.

"Fly, Zangetsu!" He called as he gave his blade a push, sending the mighty cleaver like weapon soaring like an arrow, Keigo barely dogged out of the way with a roll, but his eyes seemed to bulge when he saw the second part of the attack. The bandage that Ichigo had wrapped around his hand had elongated from the throw, but was quickly retracting and pulling the orange haired boy with it toward his sword!

The brunette had to block the nasty kick delivered by his friend with both forearms, the strings in his hands constricting around each digit. His breath left him in pain filled his, after pushing Ichigo away he quickly went to work in bringing Kugutsu to his side, clearly Ichigo was a melee fighter, much like him, but if he left himself too exposed he worried that his friend would do something extreme in his state.

Ichigo planted both feet in the sand and gave the bandage a tug, the blade embedded into the cliff face behind him was yanked free and flew through the air until it reached his hands. The golden eyes of the orange haired shinigami shined in a mischievous way Both of his hands tightly wound around the handle, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. Happily Ichigo began to wave the blade back and forth like one did a palm frond fan. The cackles from the boy died out as the bleached sand rose into the air and created a thick cloud of dust. Keigo couldn't hope to see anything in the cloud, let alone make out distant shapes. With a grunt of effort his closed his eyes and senses and extended them to Kugutsu, her wild green eyes seemed to glow from the sudden surge of reiatsu, the world surrounding them….was a bulky cloud of reishi particles!?

The two of them quickly darted to the side, fortunately they spotted the slight deformation to the cloud around them as the point of the cleaver like blade came piercing through. As they jumped from the oversized cloud, Keigo failed to take note of the fact that some of the dust and such had stuck to their clothes.

The cloud suddenly drew inward and both Keigo and Urahara gaped at seeing all the tiny reishi particles bend around Ichigo's sword like a tornado forming around the length of the blade. The orange haired boy tilted his head to the side, his feral grin never faltering.

"This one is a particular favorite of ours! Tatsumaki no Sokon, Zangetsu!" At the call of his swords name Ichigo thrusted the slab of steel forward toward his friend and laughed as the reiatsu infused sand tore through the desert in search of its target.

Keigo thought about blocking, but realized how dangerous that could be, so he switched into a last minute flash step and stepped over to a plateau but a scant few meters to his right, his breath hitched as he saw the roaring twister turn on a dime and race toward him, both of his brows rose as he realized why, the reishi particles that he had failed to notice earlier on his clothes had a vague glow to them that was brighter than before making them more noticeable.

"Shit! Ito no Tate!"

His fingers wound and wound the thread expertly until the back of Kugutsu pressed against his chest, her hands raised to hold up the silver diamond shaped shield before him. His teeth grit as he waited for the impact, that never came.

His body suddenly screamed in pain as his shihakusho was cut, a thin line of bright red trailed his torso, and the tip of a monstrous blade was resting at the base of his throat.

Keigo could hear the thundering beat of his heart, the cool trail of a bead of sweat as it ran down his temple. He dared a look into the eyes of his companion. He appeared to look the same as he did at the beginning of the fight. His grin unchanging even now as it looked like he could so easily send him to the reincarnation wheel.

He released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding when Ichigo withdrew his sword, raising it so it rested on his shoulder.

"You get why I was so upset yet? Or has the message not gotten through that thick skull of yours?"

Keigo blinked, what message had he exactly been trying to send? That he was still the stronger of the two? That if he so choose he could have a very scary and real chance of killing him?

"Why don't you spell it out for me Ichigo?" He said almost bitterly.

"I didn't ask for this, any of it. Not to say I don't like some of what has happened as a result. And while I dont think or even consider, that I could live a normal life after this...I was jealous at how easily you seemed able to present yourself. The normal high schooler. Friendly and cheery. I hated it, and I hated everyone at that school at the best of days. But then I met Sado, and then Ishida tried calling me out, and then I saved Inoue. But then Yuzu got sick, and I couldn't be there, I wasn't strong when I needed to be, I couldn't learn...But there you were… Look Keigo...at the end of this rant is a simple message for you. I'm not like you, I won't ever be like you...and I don't want to be...but...I want to have my friends, and I want those friends to be safe."

Keigo looked into the slowly fading golden eyes of his companion, the cleaver liked sword had been wrapped completely in bandages, and after a moment it shrunk back into Ichigo's normal zanpakuto.

Keigo smiled as he let his blade return to its own sealed state. His hand came up to rest on his his stupid friends shoulder. His smile widening as he realized how painful it must have been for Ichigo to open up and admit to this.

"Ichigo...baka...I'm with you all the way!" He replied as he pulled his hand back to clasp it with the orange haired boys.

Their sensei and shop owner clapped his hands all too happily, "Wonderful, I'll start making arrangements for our mission to Soul Society!"

Ichigo smiled and looked back over his shoulder, Yoruichi was standing there with a knowing smirk and a bug eyes Orihime. His smirk shrunk into his default scowl, and with an easy motion he helped Keigo sit in the sand.

"Let Orihime heal you...I have to go recruit a another person or two...and maybe visit Tatsuki…" Ichigo said before rising to his feet and vanishing in his improved flash step.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Uryu sat solemnly by himself atop the hospital roof, his legs crossed as he pressed his back against the buildings entry wall with solemn force, his hands gently peeling a mandarin with solemn efficiency. His glasses reflecting the light and obscuring his eyes, but if one could see them then surely they'd be solemn in a narrowed fashion.

He didn't move as an orange haired shinigami approached him.

"Damn, you sure look solemn…" Ichigo drawled in a way that seemed to pain him to acknowledge.

Uryu couldn't help but look into Ichigo's hazel eyes and excitedly ask, "Really!" with a faint blush on either cheek and a vague sparkle in the air around him. Though the quincy found himself staring back at the ground, his mandarin rolling away from him, as a fist collided with the back of his cranium. The bellow from an aggravated soul reaper above him.

"Don't act all depressed when you aren't dumb-ass!"

Slowly Uryu righted himself. His gaze back on the now scornful looking teen, "What is it you want Kurosaki?"

Ichigo scoffed as he crossed his arms, "What? No honorific? Some upstanding citizen you are…" Ichigo pretended not to notice the tick mark growing on the quincy's forehead, "Anyway, I'm here to recruit you."

"Recruit me?" Uryu echoed.

Ichigo looked around confused, "Damn, hell of an echo up here." Another tick mark grew on Uryu's forehead.

With a scoff Uryu turned away, "Well, worry to disappoint you, Kurosaki, but as an upstanding and respectable citizen I make it a habit to avoid gangs, and that includes joining their ranks."

"Pft, please as if anyone would ask the president of the knitting club to join a gang."

"How did-"

"No, I want you to join my Soul Society Excursion Crusade. Basically...I want to save Rukia."

As one of the last remaining quincies, Uryu rose to his feet, butting heads with Kurosaki in the process, "And why should I help to save a shinigami!?"

Ichigo picked at his ear with disregard for Ishida's closeness, "You mean aside from the fact that your part of the reason they found her?"

Uryu deflated at the reminder that his hollow bait contest had gotten minorly out of hand.

"I'm not forcing you, I'm actually asking...will you?"

Uryu fixed his glasses and stared into Kurosaki's eyes. He wasn't trying to atone for anything, he stood by his reasoning, Shinigami were vile, even if there were a few good ones in Tatsuki and Keigo, and he abhorred the idea of saving one. But the thought of doing nothing while Kurosaki, and company, raced off to what could be certain death…

"I'll help."

Before Ichigo could say anything else a new voice interrupted their bonding moment, "Truly Uryu? And when were you going to tell your dearest father the news?" A man with pale white hair in a similar style to Uryu's. With glasses like Uryu's. With a pretentious prick like posture that screamed, Uryu!

Ichigo scratched his cheek, "Wow, the family resemblance is uncannily scary."

Uryu blushed as he frantically waved his arms in a way that shouted distestment. Uryu turned to face the man. He had loosened his tire, rolled up his sleeves, his jacket was nowhere in sight, the silver arrowhead that adorned the fine silver chain around his neck was mostly exposed and he had a cigarette in his free hand. Uryu concluded that his father must've been in the middle of his preparation to head home, when his ungodly urge to smoke compelled him to find the roof.

Ichigo smirked at the sight of the cigarette, "A doctor who smoked huh? Reminds me of my old man."

He was promptly ignored as both of the Ishida men stood their ground, mentally and physically preparing for the confrontation to come.

"Ah, I was unaware you had any sort of vested interest in the ongoing of my daily life." Uryu spat out.

"Normally I wouldn't, school, knitting, practicing your pointless spirit archery, perfectly ignorable hobbies. Heading into the domain of a thousands of spiritually charged killers? I thought I should intervene."

"Pah! I'm perfectly capable of handling myself. In fact with me there, Kurosaki has nothing to fear at all, I should be more than a match for any and every shinigami there!"

"I do wish you would put that energy into a more marketable skill." Ryuken sighed raising his cigarette to his lips to light it.

Uryu turned back with a huff only to stare at the empty spot that Kurosaki had left. He glanced back to see his father also gone. With slow steps he found his mandarin and dusted it off before returning to peel it solemnly...but also purposefully!

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Tatsuki sat up in bed. She already knew who was there but figured she should at least sit up to greet him. Until she saw that he was still in his shinigami garbs.

"Ichigo, I...didn't expect a visit…"

He didn't even have the mental capacity to seem bashful at the statement. He simple stepped forward and looked at her.

"You got hurt."

"Well...duh?"

"Tatsuki...do...do you still want to be a shinigami?"

Her eyes widened at the question. She had gotten hurt, definitely, but from what Urahara and Yoruichi had told her they had also gotten pretty bagned up, why would she just up and quit over something like that. Had she been scared? For sure. Did she regret not being stronger, definitely. But she wouldn't give up, no. She would grow stronger.

"Of course not dumbass. I still gotta grow strong enough to beat you into the dirt for not telling me about this sooner." She laughed.

"So you're determined to grow stronger than me?"

"Of course."

"Tatsuki?"

"What is it Ichigo?"

"Will you come with us to Soul Society to save Rukia?"

Tatsuki blinked, not really expecting that, before stealing herself and clenching her hands, "Sure! Sounds like fun!"

The easy smile on his feature said it all, with a wave he was gone. And Tatsuki felt her mood sour. Had he only come to recruit her and not check up on her!?

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

His hand moved the beads around slowly. It had returned to the original placement earlier, but he had come to enjoy its altered form a bit more. Ichigo moves the beads from around his waist to his torso in a diagonal fashion, and now he sported Zangetsu along his back in it's sealed state. A purely aesthetic change, with the added bonus of having his sides free, it was enough of a change to be apparent to all who were present.

Tatsuki has managed to find herself mostly healed thanks to Orihime, Sado and Keigo were talking with Yoruichi about the short term plan, Uryū was in the back being bombarded with questions from the shop kids, Tessai was in the guest restroom having come down with the runs, Suki was out for a walk, they hadn't yet told her she would be defending Karakura Town while they were gone. Yes, that's right! They were leaving the safety of their home to their teachers, Urahara and Isshin, but also the mid soul Suki!

It hadn't taken long but the Soul Society Excursion Force, as Keigo had dubbed them, or the Rukia Retrieval Responders, as Uryū had counter offered, we're now waiting around for their means of transport to be ready.

"Bah! Done." Urahara stepped out from the large white pillars. His fan covering his mouth, how he stood in this desert heat and never broke a sweat Ichigo could never fathom, "The artificial 'Senkaimon' is ready to go."

Ichigo smirked, his hands tightening into fist. He was beyond pumped. A chance for a good fight! Rescuing Rukia! Seeing Soul Society after their teachers hyped it to shit and then some! It was too good to be true! So clearly Hat-and-clogs had found a way to ruin it.

"Remember you'll only have five minutes to get from point A to B, any longer and facing off against Soul Societies elite captains will be the least of your worries!" The blonde shop owner said all to cheerily.

Ichigo waved away the vague warning as he drew his blade and stabbed the air between the pillars, after a seconds delay it erupted into a shadowy golden and purple gate. Without a moment to hesitate, he, and his friends, ran forward!

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

 **A/N:** _So I finished this chapter pretty quick, a sign that twenty-one will take a bit to arrive most likely. On the flip sidemif things, I havent gotten any submission for OC's unfortunately so I guess I'll be making my own. :/  
_

 **Chapter 21: Headfirst into a New World!**

 _THANKS FOR READING!_


	21. A plan in motion

**A/N: Review Replies**

 **midnightscar17:** _Again, I answered this one in a PM, but for everyone else, in this fic, Ichigo won't have any quincy powers. Thanks for Reviewing_

 _New Segemnt! FanFiction Recomendations!_

 _I want to start recommending fanfictions that i've come across and feel like talking about ir sharing. and in doing this, i'm hoping you share some of yiur favorite stories with me sinc eim always loking fir more stuff to read._

 _recomedation: Shattered Bonds and Steeled Resolves by Greivous166_

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

With his head bowed and knuckles if his right hand pressed firmly to the wooden floor of the meeting chamber he, Kuchiki Byakuya, patiently waited for the reveal of whatever sentence his poor sister would be subjected to. His gray eyes never leaving the smooth grain of the wooden floor, even as the slow bitter taste of anxiousness began to settle in his tongue. He heard the shifting of fabric from behind him, his third seat acting Vice-captain, Tsubaki Rin. The two had been waiting for several minutes now. Rin had arrived a few minutes after her captain since she passed by the fourth division to see Renji. But now the two were forced to wait silently as the Captain Commander received the sentence for Kuchiki Rukia from Central Forty-six.

Byakuya silently pressed his knuckles deeper into the wood as he could feel the mocking glances from the plebeians fools around him. Their stray gaze lingering upon his shoulders as their hushed words went between them. Though the air seemed to still as the imposing doors to the captain commanders chambers opened, Rin lifted her head first and in seeing her captain hesitate to do the same she paused. But Byakuya didn't let the moment last as he pushed up. His gaze fixed on the narrowed eyes of his commander.

"Captain Commander-sama what ruling has Central Forty-Six decreed?" He asked, and all those who personally knew the captain could hear the bitter undertone of having to go through with this.

"...Kuchiki Rukia...has been sentenced to death via the Sōkyoku in two weeks time."

Rin felt her shoulders stiffen. Her mind unable to comprehend such a judgement and her impulses urging her to call out in objection.

"Thank you for your time Captain Commander-sama." Byakuya said in a dead tone before turning and excusing himself.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

Hesitance could never before so perfectly describe him before now. His top teeth digging ruthlessly into his bottom lip, his hands clenching and releasing repeatedly. A hard thumping in his chest like he'd gone for an extended run. He wanted nothing more than to turn around and head back to Urahara Shop, they'd be leaving soon, and as much as it bugged him to leave without at least a little warning...could he really face them now?

"Ichi-nii?"

The voice came from behind him. With it came a mild spook, but you didn't fight the corrupted souls of spirits turned monsters for the better part of half a decade and not develop a tolerance for jump scares. Tiredly he turned around to see his kid sisters, Karin, staring up at him with mild confusion. And that look that he saw in her eyes….it hurt.

"Ah, Karin, I'm glad I caught you. I'm here to apologize for not being around more but, also to let you know that I'll be leaving the country for a bit. Could...could you tell Yuzu for me?"

The bag she'd been holding that had gone unnoticed by him fell to the ground with a loud crash, whatever glass object within shattering from the impact. Out of all the Kurosaki's Karin was normally the most calm and collected of them, she lacked the harsh temper and scowl of her brother. Her hands came up and gripped the fabric of his shirt, her furrowed brows framing her fury filled gaze perfectly as she stared into her brothers own resolved orbs.

"Y-You've been away for so long, ignoring home and everyone there for our reasons...and I didn't want to pry. But now you come here just to say goodbye!? And you won't even man up enough to say bye to Yuzu yourself!"

His larger hands wrapped around her wrist. She was partly correct, she may not have known that he was staying away to protect them, hopefully she would never know, she had every right to hate him. Especially now that he was gearing up to risk his life, risk never-ever being there again, for some girl he'd known for less than half a year? It was almost enough to make him crack a smile.

Removing her hands from his shirt he reached up and ruffled her hair. She flinched at the knowing and understanding look he had. She cringed, where was their bombastic father to demand his son visit his youngest sister, where was the staff so she could throw a tantrum and demand to get her way, where was her older brother who spoiled her and Yuzu so much just to see them smile!?

His calloused thumb wiped at the tears she didn't realize were falling. Her mouth slightly agape as she struggled to suck in air for her heaving breaths. Her arms threw themselves around his waist, her face buried into his stomach as she cried, his larger palms instantly settled on her shoulder and back soothingly. His gentle hushing and soft taps mildly alleviating her sudden frenzy of emotion.

He pulled away slightly, reaching into one pocket and removing a simple white handkerchief, "Let's get you cleaned up," he offered dragging the scratchy cloth across her face, "I doubt Yuzu would want to see you like this when we go into see her."

Karin started past the white cloth under her right eye and into her brothers, focusing solely on the all the pain that resided behind his brightly shining brown eyes. She bit back another sob, she wanted desperately to know what was hiding so far beneath the surface that she couldn't see it. She wanted nothing more than to find what was there, to find the truth that had been buried away to save her the pain.

His hand wrapped around her own and before she could do anything, she was being led to the hospital room belonging to her ill sister.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul**

His fingers ached, desperately crying for relief, so when his pen finally scratched off at the final line to his report he dropped the accursed utensil and clutched his aching wrist, all too happy to set his throbbing head down on his cool desk. Though even after he had dropped his own writing apparatus, the sounds of scribbling on paper did not cease. His eyelids cracked open, when had they closed…? As he stared over at the desk that would normally belong to his vice-captain, who was nowhere to be found, and in her stead sat another orange haired woman who happily hummed while scratching away at the few articles that he had the liberty to disclose with her.

"Captain Hitsugaya, about next week's joined training venture, seventh seat Kojiro Ken and officer Watanabe Shin, have requested slots in the exercise." Her honeyed words filled the drearilly silent room and he found himself pushing back up into a fully upright position. Bitterly beratting those morons for not submitting their request sooner...the deadline was tomorrow!

"...Have they filled out the required forms Kurosaki-san?" He asked, the yawn building up in the back of his throat.

She happily reached across the desk and raised two thin packets, turning them to flash the awkward penmanship to him. Her smile illuminating.

His brow twitched, "Fine, compile all your completed forms and hand over what you have left, with any luck we'll be done before sunset today, he said realizing that implied another several hours of work. Had he even bothered with lunch today?

She stacked up all of her forms and neatly rearranged the desk before standing and straightening her wrinkled shihakusho, "Well captain, sorry to say but it appears we're are in fact all done for the day, perhaps I could make some tea, or we could take a walk around the barracks so you could appraise your men's standing?"

His hand came up and brushed back a stray bang. How many fortnights had it been since he finished his paper work so early in the day!? And now he was being offered tea made by someone else...it was too good to be true! He brought his hand up and coughed into his fist, all the while obscuring his winners smirk.

"Tea sounds fine, I'll do a round afterward…" Toshiro hesitated, the stray thought betraying him, "Tell me Kurosaki-San, have you seen Matsumoto-San around?"

The orange haired assistant stopped her tea preparation and tapped her chin in thought, a soft hum coming from her direction.

"I believe I saw her early this morning while reporting in. She may in fact be with the other Lieutenants for an optional training meet."

The young captain could feel his lips twitch at the thought, his vice-captain so rarely bothered attending the 'mandatory' meetings that the thought of her going to the optional one seemed ludicrous and wholly unlikely...though the ditsy headed ginger woman had a knack for doing the unlikely…

With a grunt he reached out and took the offered cup and slowly blew at the hot liquid within, once, twice, and then he sipped. The soft taste and sweet remanente danced softly across his tongue for a second before he swallowed. It was a bit different from the usual, not too terribly much, a -blink and you'll miss it- sort of taste. But it was just enough to ask.

"Ginseng?"

For his effort he received the warm smile and tilted head.

"Good guess. Captain Komamura dropped some off, said he got it while doing his patrol through the upper rings." She happily explained before taking a long sip of her own tea.

The next several minutes were blissfully calm. He'd be overjoyed if everyday could be more like this...though he assumed he'd be bored to his wits end and back if the monsoon of paperwork dried up so suddenly. He shrugged away the bitter thought and took to the halls, he had assigned his fifth seat, Yamada Yuuta, to lead the zanjutsu class today. As he slowly walked through the halls he didn't miss the fact that his assistant paper pusher had invited herself along, usually not a problem, but it often led to hearing things like…

"Another cute red-head?"

"Think Captain-Hitsugaya has a thing for gingers?"

"He's so cute~"

In varying degrees of hushed whispers. With an internal sigh, he pressed onward. Hopefuls to see the end of this -too- long day soon.

 **[Bleach Thy Soul**

The group of seven stared at the paper covered gate, the artificial Senkaimon. The passageway between the worlds. Ichigo felt the growing lump in his throat. Earlier that day after having talked to Yuzu, and going to the bathroom twice to keep himself from tearing up in front of her and getting playfully mocked for it by Zangetsu, he had to return here and reorganize with this merry little band that Urahara has put together. The ones traveling to Soul Society to save Rukia would be Yoruichi, him, Keigo, Tatsuki, Uryu, Orihime, and Chad. The seven of them, embarking on a journey that could just as easily end in their deaths…

Ichigo reached up to his shoulder and tightened his grip around Zangetsu's hilt, the slight reassurance really helped to pull his thoughts in order. The heavy feeling in his gut was new, he didn't think himself one to shy away from fights. His jaw unhinged and he sucked in a great breath of air as he drew his blade. The tip mere inches from the threshold of the gate, and with the snap of Urahara's fingers the bright blue light of the portal spilled through, creating their passage.

"Go!" Yoruichi called, her voice deepened from having entered her cat form, Ichigo still in denial that it had taken him so damn long to realize she could do that.

The group of seven sprung forth, Ichigo sheathing Zangetsu as he went, and none looked back as they rushed to make it to the other side. If any of them had turned, they would have seen the sullen face of Urahara as he reached out, his hand lingering inches from the open portal, his longing gaze as he wished to return home. Though the shop owner was strong enough, and patient enough to wait just a little while longer. So with a delayed breath he turned to his Living World: Karakura defense force which was built up of Ururu, Jinta, Tessai, Suki, Isshin, and if Ryūken was up to it he may even kill a hollow or two, though Urahara wasn't looking forward to finding the bill for the ex-Quincy's services.

On the other side, rather somewhere toward the middle, of the portal the group was hard pressed in there run. Yoruichi taking the lead, Uryū and Tatsuki close seconds, Ichigo taking up third, with Chad and Keigo fighting for fourth, leaving Orihime in dead last, a hard struggle to keep up with the rest of the group.

The run through the portal seemed to be nearing its end, when they heard it. All head swiveled to look and the eyes of the more experienced ones in the group, Ichigo, Keigo, and Yoruichi, as all their eyes narrowed in alarm at seeing the spirit sweeper. The sudden cries of shock from Tatsuki, Orihime, and Uryū got the ball rolling in their leaders head.

"That's the spirit sweeper!" Yoruichi called out, "Its an entity that transcends all and can completely eradicate your spiritual form if it makes contact. So run like hell!"

The group picked up its already harsh pace to insane level, their heavy foot falls rattling the bones in the floor as the train like entity quickly made to catch them.

Orihime huffed, hating that she hadn't train harder, hadn't worked on her cardio more, as she struggled to make headway in this would be race, when suddenly her feet connected. Her body began arching forward and she was just about to scream when, a lanky arm wrapped itself around her midsection and sped back up again. She looked up through her hair shield and saw the Quincy of the group had been the one to save her.

"Ah! Thank you Ishida-San!"

"Nothing of it Inoue-San." Uryū offered, though the glint to his glasses and faint blush on his cheeks spoke of hidden pride for his accomplishments in saving the girl.

And as soon as their run had begun, it came to a close, their exit in sight another burst of speed came over the running group and with one last push, they found themselves free of the tunnel of death! And standing a happy twenty odd feet in the air with no ability to stand on their own.

The group plummeted.

Yoruichi, being a cat and all, of course landed on her feet. Her sterling recovery garnering her a scar of perfect tens. Ichigo and Keigo somehow managed to land on their feet as well, if rather shakily. Tatsuki and Chad had landed in awkward heaps of limbs, intertwined with one another in a garbled mess. But the funniest of them all was how Uryū had broken Orihime's fall by letting her fall on his face.

Her pale skin quickly darkened red as she stood in a flurry of movement apologizing the whole time, after standing it revealed the poor Quincy with a goofy smile on his face, cracked glasses, and a vague smear of blood around his nose.

"No, it's fine...Inoue-San." He offered still happily dazed. So dazed in fact that he didn't catch the sniggering coming from the three Soul Reapers in the group, and the well restrained giggle from the half Mexican.

"So, this is Soul Society huh…? Place is kinda a dump." Ichigo offered looking around, it seemed as though no one had been around to catch their sudden appearance in the barren waste.

"No Ichigo, we've landed in the outskirts of Soul Society, likely one of the bordering districts that encircle the main body of the shinigami's precious little city." Yoruichi bitterly explained, her feline eyes narrowing as she turned to peer at the horizon who had the briefest hint of the city poking over it.

Orihime looked around and spoke before processing the words, "So this is heaven then?"

Keigoand Ichigo shared a look before crossing their arms. They had thought much the same, considered it much the same before realizing how foolish that was. No, this wasn't heaven, this was a hellish waiting room while you hoped for reincarnation to earth. The living world. The young Shinigami didn't miss the fact that Yoruichi didn't explain that to the girl.

"Alright. We've gone over the plan. Ichigo make sure you and Keigo don't arouse suspicion while your amongst the Shinigami, and don't be late to Kukaku-Chan's place. Remember, our strength lies in our numbers."

Ichigo nodded as he pulled out a small capsule before spitting on it and crushing it in his hand, then he began rubbing it harshly through his hair, changing it from bright orange to a sandy blonde-brown color. Beside him Keigo pulled out a pair of fake square nerdy looking glasses and pulled his hit back into a ponytail. The group around them had each gotten the bullet point version of the plan.

Ichigo and Keigo investígate around Soul Society and figure out where Rukia-San is being held. While they were doing that, Yoruichi, Tatsuki, Orihime, Chad, and Uryu would seek out their home base provider Kukaku-San. Then no more than two days later Ichigo and Keigo would deliver their information to the group and they would all invade Soul Society and bust Rukia out.

With a nod Keigo and Ichigo split from the main group and began their run to the far off city.

 **A/N:**

 **THANKS FOR READING!**


	22. A Plan Never survives long

Side by side the two walked through the simple yet awe inspiring streets of the seireitei. Long and wide halls, tall and short buildings. Bustling with new and old Shinigami and other souls of the higher echelon. The pair of Ryoka shared a look, the sandy haired one smirked as he saw what his old man had left behind and had to hold back his irritation as he thought why. The other a boy who assumed he'd still be decades from seeing this place with his own eyes. Either way, the pair of them were now neck deep in enemy territory and while they had some basic knowledge it could be fairly outdated, considering just how long Kisuke had been away from the place himself, even if the occasional Shinigami did pass along the stray rumor here or there it couldn't account for everything, in fact it barely did anything, but they had to settle. Time was tight. Their ever action here and now would determine the life of not only Rukia but also of the ones that had come along. The fake brunette smirked as he made to step into file behind a wandering group of passing Shinigami, only to tense when he heard a loud shriek and sudden boom as the large white walls came crashing down from the sky. His hazel eyes narrowing as he scowled at them. His mind instantly going back to the words if his mentor, and how he had all but assured them that they would have had bare minimum two days to scout before anyone noticed the breach they would create with their fake senkaimon. Ichigo scoffed as he nudged Keigo and made to leave, with the sudden activation of soul society defenses everyone would be talking about that, he wouldn't be able to gather any useful information from these scattered brain noobie's.

"Hey Ichi—"

"Don't say that." Ichigo harshly bit out as he turned to look at his companion, "That nickname was horrible. Call me Ichijiro."

Keigo looked at him with a dumb and blank stare before he gasped and looked around. Ichijiro wanted to punch him for the obvious sign of looking for eavesdroppers. It took more of his willpower than he cared to admit to keep from palming his face. With a shake of his head he kept moving. Now that the defenses were down, he'd have to change tracks. Gathering news in Rukia and where she was being held would have to wait, instead he'd need to find escape routes. Back doors. Fox holes. Anything that would assure him and his teams safe retreat.

The two didn't make it very far as someone stepped out from a corner and blocked their path, she was as tall if not slightly taller than Ichijiro which was a sight to see any other day, but what really caught their eyes was her fiery orange red hair and large assets, read as what really caught their attention were her fucking massive breast. A superior officer if the badge in her arm was any indicator.

"Ah! Perfect!" She day catching the two before stepping right up to the pair, "Here take these to the fifth division for me, thanks!" She hands over to arguably small stack of paperwork before scampering off.

Ichijiro looks down at his hands and then to his companion, before bending down and putting the papers on the ground and walking away, Keigo with a worrisome look in all directions picked up the stack and took after Ichijiro.

[Bleach Thy Soul]

Unohana was typically a no nonsense sort of person. She had never been extremely patient even after centuries of treating wounds and and practicing medicine she had never built up that tolerance for waiting that her lieutenant seemed to have in spades. Even now as she calmly stared at the pile of letters clouding her work space she felt the desire to go and punish the one who dared to add to her already busy schedule.

Fortunately she wouldn't have to look at all as the door of her office was thrown open to reveal two of the newer members of her division.

"Ah! Hana-Chan! My darling! I see you've come across my confessions for you!" He exclaimed. For it was none other than the lovestruck medic, Kazumi Sanji. The pestering male had made it his life goal to somehow convince the stoic captain of the fourth division to reciprocate his love.

Behind him stood the usually innocent, because of sheer laziness, Kaminari Kenji. The boy didn't live up to his namesake, where lightning was quick and often struck without warning. He was slower than mud and would never show up unexpectedly.

"Kazumi-San, please address the Captain appropriately!" Kotetsu Isane said, clearly upset at the lack of proper honorific and lack of title in Sanji's greeting.

"Ma, ma, Isa-chan, calm down! If I call Hana-chan 'Captain' she'll only ever see me as a subordinate!" Sanji cries turning to shake Kenji who had moved to leave, knowing too well just where this was going.

Unohana moved to the window, instead of toward her obsessed love struck subordinate, and pushed open the wooden flaps to reveal a light brown shade of spiky hair of a boy in Shinigami robes with a red and black blade sheathed to his back. The red beads across his chest seemingly acting as a sling to keep the blade there.

"Ah! Captain, could you point me and friend in the direction of the Fifth decision, we're still too new to find our way around."

Unohana stared at him, then at the brown haired boy behind him, while not uncommon for the new recruits to get lost his time of year...so very rarely had any of them climbed up to the second story of a division to ask for directions through a window. But...for some reason she decided she'd humor the boy.

"You almost made it, to get to the fifth division just keep head east, there should be some of its members out for their morning patrol."

Ichijiro nodded, "Right. Thanks captain."

As the boy dropped down and he and his friend continued on, she noticed the odd steps the one with brown hair and glasses made, as if he was forcefully trying to appear clumsy…

She turned, still ignoring Sanji in his unending declaration of love, and looked toward her lieutenant.

"Isane, deliver a message to Commander Yamamoto...I believe we just bore witness to our Ryoka."

The room went dead silent. Even Sanji had shut his trap to stare at the love of his life. No one knew what to say to that declaration, they had just made contact with the enemy...but they were the medical squad...did that mean the Touka were scouting targets?

"H-how can you be sure?" Kenji finally asked. His hands shaking at the realization that an enemy force was so close by.

"The boy. His hair was dyed, and the blade he wielded seemed odd to me, behind that they both seemed to be suppressing the majority of their spiritual pressure. Anything else is just assumptions on my part."

Kenji pressed his back against the door frame, Isane having pushed by to leave in a hurry.

"This is crazy...insane...we're medics...why was the enemy so close by!?"

Sanji looked at his friend, then back at the beautiful captain and bitterly cursed under his breath before moving to his friend, an act that surprised Unohana greatly, and the two left. She almost smiled at that. She supposed that now she could do some paperwork while she...waited…her desk was still a cluttered mess…

[Bleach Thy Soul]

As Keigo, now under the guise of Keisuke, walked behind Ichijiro, a stack of papers in his hands.

"Hey, umm, Ichijiro, how come you climbed up that second story window?"

The spiky haired boy with a poor dye job glanced over his shoulder at the boy he'd long since called friend. The pair of them had been far up shit creek without a paddle for a while now, and his simple minded cohort was making things almost more complicated.

"I was hoping to eavesdrop on captain level individuals. But the second I got there she noticed me. I had to cover my tracks best I could."

"Alright...even if they're strong, couldn't you just mask up or use your Shikai to get us out?"

Ichijiro stopped dead and smacked his face, "it doesn't matter how strong you or I think I am. Against thirteen assholes with bankai, thirteen other assholes with strong Shikai, and then a dozen no name no rank bastards with some variety of kido, I won't be getting very far."

Keigo nodded dumbly at the facts, before considering just how well they stacked up against the military force of soul society. He considered that they had just spent the last half a decades worth of considerable time training under various captain class individuals learning many different arts and much to their chagrin unlocking Shikai.

The pair of them had put forth so much effort. So much work and sacrifice and dedication. Were they really so far down and below anyone of these captains or lieutenants? Ichigo seemed to believe as much...but that didn't make sense. Ichigo was a strong and skilled individual with abilities beyond that of any regular Shinigami. And yet the boy was too concervative. He was always reading and ready for a fight when it was against him, or the golems Urahara would set up or any number of hollows in their home world. And yet….

"Your scared of that captain…" Keigo said aloud without meaning too and failed to catch his friend stop walking as his slammed head first into his back.

As the glasses wearing brunette stepped back he caught sight of the glare Ichigo was giving him. A look that was positively frigid, the air seemed to vanish from them as he looked into those hazel eyes.

"Wanna say that again?" Ichigo challenged. And Keigo shuttered. He'd seen the boy be vicious, he'd seen the way he could so ruthlessly tear sort beast and the like...but this was something else, something so unbelievable. And then he realized it. He hated this place, to some sense. He hated the realization that he wasn't anywhere near too dog. That no matter how hard he pushed himself he was playing catch up to all the other big dogs around.

Keigo licked his lips as he quickly shook his head, it wasn't the healthiest mentality to have...but who was he to start trying to play psychiatric care in enemy territory. He'd hand this ticking bomb over to Urahara or Yoruichi afterward, but for now...the fifth division was coming into view….

Bleach thy soul

Yoruichi looked at the protruding cannon. Even though she knew it was coming...she still couldn't help herself in doubting the idiocy of this device. Using an oversized fireworks launcher as a mode of transport. Next thing you know they'll be making ships out of metal and putting people on the moon!

"You listening Yoruichi?" Shukaku asked the black cat woman, and the golden eyes glare was her only reply.

"Er...right then. Anyway, Ganju will be the one reciting the scripture so make sure you lot work really hard in keeping the sphere strong or else you're in deep shit." The one armed woman ended with a chuckle.

Yoruichi looked upon the woman and younger brother of the Shiba clan and grimaced, inwardly, shed had no choice now but to rely on them. The plan had never been to involve them this far, far from it, they were simply to house them for a few days while they recovered Rukia. And now here they were asking to use a cannon that was fabled to have been used to reach the Soul Kong's own palace. But that was fantasy at the most, or so Yoruichi believed.

Outside the home Sado, or Chad as he had begun to call himself, apparently some young boy he'd saved from a mean old man had called him, and the name simply stuck. Anyway. Sado was sitting outside watching as Uryu awkwardly taught Orihime some basic self defense. His reasoning was that now that the pair of soul reaping fools had gone and gotten stuck behind enemy lines they would have to be ready for anything, and that meant having no weak links in their party. Orihime being herself however simply entertained the idea for fun instead of any practical reason. And as much as Sado was a spiritual man who could understand many and wished for peace. He couldn't help but laugh as the high school girl flipped his glasses wearing friend over her head and sent him sprawling before straddling him and forcing his arms to bend awkwardly.

Yes, they had all done some amount of training with Urahara, very basic mind you, but they all had some idea of how their powers worked, for better or worse, they were there and needed to be strong to help rescue Rukia-San.

Bleach thy soul


	23. Ikkaku The Fierce

**A/N:** _Hey all, so here's the twenty-third chapter, word on the twenty-Fourth is underway, but I just finished this one so I figured it was time to update._

 _I've been meaning to get this out for a while, but the words just weren't coming, and everything seemed convoluted, until I sat down tonight and wrote out this final (first) draft in little more than two hours._

 _That aside, thanks to all the readers and reviewers, you all rule._

 _Hopefully the next one doesn't take a month to get out..._

 _Maybe I should turn some attention toward Spider-Man...Y'know, all things considered..._

 **[Bleach Thy Soul]**

It was his desk.

Her fingers lightly ghosting over the surface for a moment. The dark wood surface perfectly catching the light like his beautiful hair during the bright summer days or full winter nights. The forms were perfectly organized and set apart just enough to create an orderly divide and keep things smooth. Her lips curled upwards in a smile as she examined the carefully done and written kanji.

Her attention left the black and white if the page as she examined the office. It was sparse for a captains office, much of what was decorating the room once belonged to the long gone captain Hirako. But that aside, her wonderful captain seemed to have perfectly gathered the space and make it his own. He kept the memory alive and expanded upon it.

Hers hands came back to the desk as she felt the warmth of past hours of her wonderful captain sitting here. The way he'd start on a task and determinedly complete it without complaint. The warmth traced her cheeks as she flushed slightly. Her back arching as she pressed her face against the desk. It was so nice. Wherever her captain had gone he had left his haori draped in his desk chair. Sitting here...it almost felt like what it would be to become a captain herself. She breathed out a giggling sigh. It was so very nice to enjoy this moment.

A knock came from the door. And the poor lieutenant of squad five froze after clinching slightly. Her body unmoving as she considered what to do. It was mid afternoon now if she was correct. Meaning her captain was out to lunch most likely, everyone in the squad knew that...so...who would be knocking on the door?

She froze again, another knock on the door, there were twelve other divisions who could for one reason or another be needing the captains attention! What was she to do? Wait, she realized she could just not answer! She so rarely got to enjoy the captains chair. The desk. The lingering scent of his, the earthy musk of his that made all her troubles fade from reality, that remained in the room… yes, surely whatever this was wasn't too importa—

The door rattled as it was violently pulled open and crashed as it slid fully opened, two Shinigami she'd never seen before stood outside. One of them looked like a meek and poor copy of her captain with his long tied back brown hair and thick black glasses, his posture held none of the comfort or inviting air that her dear captains held. The other...seemed frightening, like looking at still form of a starving hollow, just waiting to lunge, to lash out. His hair a sandy brown with vague accents of orange poking through. But she was taken away from that when he lashed out angrily, his reiatsu flaring outward just slightly and causing her to flinch at what felt like a hundred winter nights under a crescent moon howled at her.

"Knock on that door one more time and I'll use your head as a knocker!" He snarled before snatching the pages stacked in his, she assumed, friends grip and striding across the room.

She tended at how quickly and efficiently he moved, the way he could care less, his mean looking scowl never leaving as he cut the distance of her captains office and proceeded to handover the pages in his possession in the least formal manner she'd ever had the dissatisfaction of being present for.

He raised them slightly before slamming them down—hard—on the wooden face of the desk.

The force made the wood creak, and after a few seconds delay the wood whined again before the legs on the left side creaked and snapped, all the pages sliding off and scattering across the ground.

There was a pregnant pause as the disguised teen looked at the mess. His tongue slid across his dry lips as he resisted the urge to groan as he did the only thing that came to mind.

Ichigo looked at the mess once more with just a bit more intensity, then back at Keigo, then back at the mess, then back at Keigo, and then for the first time at the mortified expression in the tiny girls face.

The teen crossed his arms in thought for a moment, already knowing full well what he intended to do, before turning back around and vanishing down the hall in a slow gait. Leaving behind Keigo who just started dumbly at the retreating form of his comrade. Even if they had discussed splitting up to cover more ground...this seemed like a poor time to do it.

With an internal groan he entered the room and bowed deeply.

"My apologies captain. My friend isn't very...observant of manners?" He tested the lie, hopping this captain, whomever she was, would be more forgiving...

Hinamori had to wonder if the way he said that actually sounded like a question. Or if it was just her current state of panic making her head perceive things as such. But...nevermind that! This needed to get cleaned up instantly! And the desk needed fixing too!

She quickly pounced and gripped the Shinigami in the office by the collar of his kasode. It never failed, whenever the situation called for comical levels of strength she was almost sure she could outdo anyone in pure muscle.

Her tiny arms tugged him so hard that the momentum forced them both to the ground where she remained clutching the collar of his uniform, unaware of the compromising position she had—accidentally—put them in. She also couldn't sense a certain spiritual pressure approaching, never mind the fact that the poor boy she was strangling was beet red as the sudden pressure he was feeling in either of his sides.

"You have to help me before captain Ai—!"

"Ah lieutenant Hinamori, shouldI return to do my paperwork after you've completed entertaining?" Asked a certain bespectacled captain as he walked into the room and adopts his chair again, sliding on his haori.

The two Shinigami on the ground groan in disappointment at the current state of events. Never minding the smirk playing the bespectacled captains countenance. The mirth in his eyes disguising the gleaming pride in his plans coming to fruition.

 **[Bleach thy Soul]**

He could count the number of times he'd been this angry quite easily. If he had to put it on a scale, number it even, this would only be a four, maybe five. He was beyond annoyed at the current state of affairs. But he'd been angrier. His outburst back in his own world truth enough to this, and he couldn't count on Yoruichi to be there to pull his arse out of the fire should he suddenly go on a rampage.

But if he didn't blow off some steam soon he was going to lose his bleeding mind!

"Up on your right."

He however didn't have much time to ponder the curious statement from his partner as his shoulder bumped into someone else's and he heard the distinct sound of a clay bottle or possibly a pot shatter as it struck the ground. The smell of sake quickly filled the air, alongside the smell was a low grumbling.

Almost as if a veil was lifted from his sights Ichigo saw that he had long since left the fifth division halls and was back outside, the barren walls indicating in some likely remote section of Seireitei, which would have been good to note down if he had even half a clue of how he had gotten here, but back to the point…

He had clearly bumped into someone. And spilled their Sake. And they had on the same uniform as him. And a sword at their side. And they looked angry. And their mouths was quickly working—likely spouting out every curse they could think of—though no sound came out. Oh…

Raising a hand hand up and cleaning his ear with his pinky Ichigo smirked as sound returned to him.

"Ah, that's better, what were ya' spouting anyway baldie I was off in my head."

Instincts were his friend, considering they were an aspect of his Zanpakuto that was more than just a tongue in cheek statement.

His body jerked to the left to avoid a sucker punch, his leg instantly rising and cutting through the air in a high kick. The thunderous slap would have made him feel better about being assaulted if not for the fact that his kick had been blocked.

The baldie he'd pissed off had blocked the hit with crossed firearms, and was smiling viciously at him.

"Name and division brat." The man growled pushing away the leg he blocked before moving to deliver a mean elbow to the face that Ichigo redirected before smashing his forehead against his attacker.

"Shirogane Ichijiro of the Tenth Division, you?" He asked rushing forward to deliver a jab, that was expertly evaded as he raised up both hands and held them together before bringing them down to bonk Ichigo.

"Madarame Ikkaku, Eleventh third seat!!" Was the howled war cry of a reply.

Ichigo grunted as his head snapped down from the force of the blow, his eyes flashing golden as he ducked low to the ground and spun quickly before shifting his leg up and slamming the heel of his foot into Ikkaku's chin, forcing the other Shinigami to look skyward.

The blow seemed to momentarily stagger Ikkaku as he took several shaky steps backward until his shoulders met the wall. His low chuckle the only sign that he was still in the impromptu fight.

The bald Ikkaku seemed to grow angrier as he realized he had backpedaled into his own spilled sake. His eyes widened as he realized it, and his despair filled yowling resembling a banshees screech.

"Oi! Shut the hell up!" Ichigo roared in turn as he closed the distance and released a harsh left hook that met the wall with devastating results...for his hand. The bones within shining as several stress fractures instantly spider-webbed across his knuckles and back of his palm.

"Son of a bi—" his swear went unfinished as he was struck in the face with an open palm and sent reeling.

"Punching Seki-seki Stone at anything under full power is a bad idea brat. Some kind words of knowledge from your senpai."

Ichigo clutched his sore nose before he let a fierce grin grow across his face. His subconscious working hard to keep the specks of gold from coming through his eyes.

"How noble of you, let me return the favor by plowing the fields with your face!" He returned as he rushed in again and delivered two quick jabs that were easily blocked before attempting another kick.

His efforts seemed in vain as a hand locked around his ankle and lifted him off the ground and before he knew what was happening he was being hauled down the passage they had been traveling. Ichigo did the first thing the cake to mind, scream in a disoriented gurgle as his lunch fought to leave his stomach. And then he did the second thing he thought to do. Begins kicking his assailants back.

Though this too seemed for naught as he was pulled over head and thrown through the air and left to impact a wall.

Air seemed to suddenly become scarce as his chest deflated. His grunt a sign for Ikkaku to move in.

Ichigo barely realized what was happening as a foot buried itself in his stomach and brought him up off the ground. His throat suddenly burned. Was it normal for those bald spots to be in his vision?

"Y'know...I was gonna say that with a name like Ichijiro you were probably a sting one. They say that people with Ichi in their names are destined for strength, take Captain Ichimaru ir myself for example...but after seeing how easily I thrashed you—" Ikkaku realized his mistake as a hand gripped his face as his feet left the ground, his body so easily moved as his back met ground and the earth cracked and splintered and cratered from the force. A sudden tug had him moving and with a harsh shove he was sent scraping far down the training ground he had just previously carried this Shinigami to.

"Shut the fuck up and just draw your sword already!" Ichigo yelled as he drew Zangetsu.

Ikkaku happily obliged as he drew both sword and sheath. This had the potential to make for an entertaining afternoon after all, if the kid survived the fight, he would hold off on killing him for spilling his sake.

"Interesting sword. You must have had it for a while for it to look so unique even in its sealed state."

In fact it was unique. The zanbato styled sealed state of the katana was accented by black and red handle wrappings and diamond shaped red beads used to keep the dark sheath at his back, and like any released Zanpakuto the guard of his sword had its flare of dramatic design. A slight hint of what his release would be. The four simple holes that adorned the guard were intact very telling.

"Just a little over five years, secretive bastard wouldn't open up to me until only a week or two back." Ichigo replied truthfully seemingly forgetting just where he was.

"Two weeks eh? Not bad for a brat. Tell you what, I'll let you release your blade and I won't do the same unless you last ten minutes!" Ikkaku offered but regretted as Ichigo glared at him.

"That's a hell of an insult Ikkaku...why don't you make me release my blade before I cut off that bald head of yours?"

The bald Shinigami clenched his teeth as several tick marks grew on his forehead.

"It's shaved! Not bald!" He roared as he moved forward and swiped with his blade.

The cut would have been shallow if it hit, but it didn't hit did it. Ichigo had clashstepoed out of the way and behind Ikkaku with his blade poised to thrust.

Thought he went through with the stabbing motion, it too failed to connect as Ikkaku jumped to the side.

The two closed into each other and clashed baldes, Ichigo grinned with ferocious delight as he pushed Ikkaku back and moved into his bubble and grabbed his opponents blade without issue before slashing with his own in a diagonal movement.

The stunned third seat was so perturbed by the attack that he failed to react in time as he was then thrown overhead and made to lie on the ground with a foot on the small of his back and a blade to his neck.

"Submit?" Ichigo offered, the cold edge of his blade digging into Ikkaku's neck.

The third seat only offered a barking laugh before pulsing a heavy burst of spiritual pressure.

The sudden downward force threw Ichigo off, just enough for Ikkaku to escape his hold. The timing seemed to be nice to disregard, so with the younger Shinigami still distracted from the sneaky play he rushed in and thrusted…

With the wrong fucking arm!

Ichigo grunted as the sheath was jabbed into his gut, his half lidded eyes came up and looked into the confused and annoyed ones of Ikkaku and without a second to let his adversary recover he returned the favor. And smiled all to happily as his sword dug into the older Shinigamis mid section. Deep red staining his robe.

The now brought Ikkaku's wound count, bloody wound count, to a staggering two. Granted their were both shallow, light, otherwise not all important wounds to consider...but he had to recognize the fact that his opponent was still without even just one wound. Bruises a plenty, but not one bloody cut. It was an outrage.

Flashing back he brought his blade together and placed the butt-cap of his sword against the opening of his sheath and smirked with demented glee, it been a horrid three days since he'd had any real reason to call forth his partner.

"Well done! But you lead ends now, **Extend: Hozukimaru!** "

Ichigo didn't blink as a small wind tunnel enclosed his foe and his Zanpakuto changed to a long spear. Softly tanned wood, long curved blade on a single end, reddish fur decorating it.

But that brought to focus a sour point, he'd been fighting an uphill battle from the start. Now that he'd released his Shikai…

"You bastard! Fine…" Ichigo growled, having been forced to resort to this so soon...he had been forced right?

His hand became engulfed in black reiatsu as he swiped it across his face, a pale white mask with red accents along the left side came to adorn his features.

The eyes of the eleventh divisions third seat widen. The sudden taint of his opponents spiritual pressure like a suffocating miasma. Thought it felt as if it had been there from the start, only now could he truly feel it, truly despise it. The vile burn it offered as he breathed in.

"This is gonna take a few minutes...so try not to die until after I release my Zanpakuto, okay!"

Ikkaku barely registered the words as every muscle in his body twitched. His arms moving arms moving faster than he could perceive for a few seconds as he brought up his weapon to block what would have been an decapitating blow.

The feral grin on the masked fighters face unsettling him further as he caught sight of the pure joy glimmering within the golden eyes resting on pools of darkness.

"What's the matter? You suddenly seem less eager." The distorted voice that came from Ichigo made Ikkaku flinch. He had fought a few hollows that spoke...but more commonly they were simply mindless beast with a tendency to bite.

Gritting his teeth he released the locks on Hozukimaru's segments.

If Ichigo was surprised, he was, his mask prevented him from showing it clearly. But Ikkaku wasn't the only one with a surprise to be had.

"Thank you for your patience." Ichigo said as he slammed the cap of his seats against the mask on his face and let the loud crack echo. As the chips began to fall the black reiatsu surged around him and the world seemed to dim just a bit as the black reiatsu vortex vanished leaving Ichigo there, his face mask free with his gold on black eyes and a large cleaver wrapped in what looked like bandages.

"Bleach Thy Soul: Zangetsu…" he murmured, more as an afterthought than for the actual command.

Ikkaku gulped at the sudden feeling in the air. He knew this feeling, but he'd only ever been brought to feel it by a handful of men…

"I'd love to stick around and enjoy this fight...but I sort of forgot where I was…" Ichigo bashfully explained his folly, "so if you survive this...find me afterward and we'll have a more in depth fight…"

Ikkaku started with wide eyes as terror paralyzed him to the spot...or was it the eight of his opponents pressure.

" **Getsuga Tenshou!** "


End file.
